Baker City, Oregon
Clarice B. Knudsen, 95, a longtime Baker City resident, died Nov. 12, 2000, at Settler’s Park.
At her request, there will be no funeral. A family celebration of her life is planned.
Mrs. Knudsen was born Oct. 12, 1905, at Boulder, Colo., to Mitchell and Maude Coffman. She was raised and received her education in Scott City, Kan., and also attended business school at Boise. She married Robert Earl Stiff on June 14, 1925, in Boise, and they came to Baker City in 1944. They divorced in 1947.
In May 1953 she married Leonard Knudsen in Baker City. They lived in John Day and Roseburg before returning to Baker City in September 1973. Mr. Knudsen passed away Sept. 12, 1994.
Mrs. Knudsen worked as a desk clerk and banquet hostess at the Baker Hotel, as desk clerk at the Geiser Grand and Antlers hotels, and was the original owner and operator of the Inland Cafe. She was a longtime member of a Monday afternoon pinochle club, and was the last survivor of the original group.
Mrs. Knudsen is survived by her daughters, LaVaughn Gould and her companion, Harold Harrop of Cave Junction, Drucilla Carpenter and her husband, Wayne, of Baker City, and JoAnne Hardy and her husband, George, of Unity; her sons, Duane Stiff and his wife, Carol, of San Clemente, Calif., and Carl Stiff and his wife, Barbara, of Baker City; a stepdaughter, Lenore Duden of Portland; a step son-in-law, Bill Wagner of Burns; a brother, Clifford Coffman of Weiser, Idaho; 26 grandchildren, 53 great-grandchildren, six great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and friends.
Mrs. Knudsen was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Leonard Knudsen; a stepdaughter, Dorothy Wagner; a grandson, Erik Larsen; two brothers, Everett and Ted; and three sisters, Blanche, Hazel and Juanita.
Contributions in Mrs. Knudsen’s memory may be made to the charity of one’s choice in care of Coles-Strommer Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, Ore., 97814.
Used with permission from: The Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, November 24, 2000
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor