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Rita M. Knutson (Tigges)
Born: 2/9/1924
Died: 7/15/2017
Age: 93
Community: Flint, MI
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Rita, beloved mother and sister, passed away peacefully in the company of her daughter and son-in-law on July 15, 2017 at the age of 93. She faced her brief illness with characteristic courage and optimism. She was born in Dedham, Iowa on February 9, 1924, the oldest of nine children of the late John and Margaret Tigges. She grew up in Coon Rapids, Iowa, graduating early from high school as salutatorian. She went to work in a local Armour Creamery, where she met her husband-to-be, Orlie Knutson.
She married Orlie in 1945 in Chicago, where she found her true calling as a bookkeeper for Atlas Sales Company. Ten years later they welcomed their daughter, Patricia, and moved to Downers Grove, a suburb of Chicago. They participated in the building of their home, finishing much of the interior work and landscaping by themselves. She tried to quit her bookkeeping job, but she proved too valuable to the company. She pioneered the concept of working from home decades before personal computers and the internet. Her work was mailed to her, which she would complete and mail back.
In the fall of 1971, her husband was transferred to Phoenix. Her bookwork followed her there. When the owner of the company died, after over 25 years of working as a bookkeeper, she took up her second career selling Avon products. For 21 years, she was a top seller in her Phoenix district, taking leadership positions and earning many awards. After her husband passed away, she moved to Flint in 1997 to be close to her daughter. She continued to sell Avon to a small group of loyal customers in the Flint area right up until the day she was hospitalized unexpectedly, only weeks away from completing 41 years with the company.
Rita was a remarkable woman, a hard worker and very resourceful. She was not one to sit idly by, always looking for something she could do to be helpful, especially when visiting family or friends. She was a talented seamstress, fashioning a complicated jacket and skirt outfit from a plaid dress of hers for her toddler daughter without using a pattern. She would take apart the lawn mower and vacuum to fix herself when her husband was traveling for work. She once repaired her ’65 Chevy in the parking lot of Phoenix’s Sky Harbor Airport, using a bobby pin to reattach the gas pedal linkage when her car failed to accelerate.
She enjoyed being with her family, gardening and reading. She loved her work with Avon, never selling a customer an item at a higher price if she knew it was going on sale soon. She was an avid basketball fan, especially of the Phoenix Suns. She followed the Suns religiously, watching every game on League Pass and keeping notes and statistics on every game.
Rita was preceded in death by husband Orlie Knutson, sister Coletta Woods, and brothers John Tigges, Gerald Tigges, and Jim Tigges. Rita is survived by her daughter, Patricia (Thomas) Howie, sisters Mary Ann Gettler, Leona (Clair) Schmitz, and Louise Harrison, brother Danny (Sandy) Tigges, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Cremation has taken place. To honor her wishes, there will be no service. Memorial contributions may be made to Rita’s favorite charity, National Jewish Health (nationaljewish.org, 1400 Jackson St., Denver, CO, 80206, phone 303.728.6552), an academic medical research facility and hospital affiliated with the University of Colorado specializing in lung, heart, immune and allergic disorders.
Your condolences may be shared with the family at swartzfuneralhomeinc.com
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| Visitation |
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7/30/2017 |
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| Funeral Service |
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