Elsie Nolte Knowlton
b. March 16, 1924 d. August 21, 2019
Obituary
Our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and aunt Elsie Margaret Nolte Knowlton departed this earth life on August 21, 2019. Born March 16, 1924 to Franz and Margaret (Leibner) Nolte in Breslau, Germany - which after WW 2 became part of Poland.
A memorial service will be held at the Valley View 9th Ward, 1925 Gundersen Lane, Holladay, UT on Sat. Sept. 14th at 11 am.
Elsie is survived by her husband Paul Shumway Knowlton, children Ronald (Sharon), J. Richard (Cheryl), Mark, and Linda. She also has 16 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
She later immigrated to the United States after the World War II and became a proud U.S citizen on November 17, 1955.
She worked as an executive secretary in Germany, England, and in Salt Lake City.
She was described by one of her former bosses at the Joint Export-Import Agency in Hannover, Germany as “a most reliable and efficient worker, taking a keen interest in her work.”
She married Paul in the Salt Lake City LDS temple on October 22, 1951. Elsie was a devoted wife, mother and homemaker. She had a firm testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and served many years as a ward librarian and visiting teaching supervisor in the Valley View Ninth Ward in Holladay, Utah.
She also taught piano lessons to many of the children in her ward. She loved the piano and organ and for a brief time played the organ in the waiting room of the Jordan River temple.
Elsie also worked hard babysitting and cleaning apartment rentals she and her husband once managed to help fund two of her son’s missions. Elsie also kept busy making homemade grape juice from their backyard vineyard, canning fruits and vegetables and converting the produce from her neighbor’s fruit trees into her German fruit-topped desserts.
She and her husband later relocated to the Seattle, WA area to be cared for by family which could manage their escalating care needs.
She passed away peacefully at Eagles Creste Adult Family Home in Kent, WA from end-stage heart failure. Her family wishes to thank Cleo Reyes, Leah, Jennifer and all of her other devoted caregivers who continued to provide compassionate and professional care. We also are grateful for Providence Hospice who expertly helped us all navigate the last few months of her life.