Ralph M. Knutson, 86, of Vermillion, S.D., passed away Monday, Sept. 6, 2010, at the Sanford Vermillion Hospital.

Ralph was born April 22, 1924, in Glenville, to John and Louise (Aanerud) Knutson. He graduated from Emmons High School in Emmons in 1942 and entered the Army Air Force in 1943. He served during WWII as a gunner in a B17 and was discharged in 1945.

Ralph married Fern Wooledge on July 5, 1994, in Albert Lea. He worked in the custodial department at the University of South Dakota for nine years, retiring in 1996.

He was a lifetime member of the Vermillion VFW and a member of the Concordia Lutheran Church in Vermillion, S.D.

He is survived by his wife, Fern, of Vermillion; children and grandchildren: Michael Knutson of Vermillion, Judy (Jeff) Holtan of Scottsbluff, Neb., Jolene (Jerry) Hubert of Vermillion, Alisa Knutson of Sioux City, Iowa, and Cain Knutson of Vermillion; Sherman, John, Jennifer, Rebecca, Richard, Halie, Sydney and Maize Lu and two great-grandchildren: Kieran and Sara; a brother, Archie (Marguerite) Knutson, of Glenville; two nephews: Glenn Citurs and Andrew Knutson and a niece Mary Knutson.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Earl; and a sister, Junice Citurs.

A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Concordia Lutheran Church in Vermillion. His body is being donated to the University of South Dakota Medical School. Interment will be at a later date in the Round Prairie Lutheran Cemetery, in Glenville. Online condolences and obituary are at hansenfuneralhome.com.