Funeral services for Laura “Lori” L. Knudsen of Clarks Grove will be  at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at New Life Christian Church in Albert Lea. The Rev. Vern Harris will officiate. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Bonnerup Funeral Service in Albert Lea and one hour before the service at the church.

Laura was born Nov. 17, 1964, in Iowa City, Iowa, the daughter of  Richard and Magdalena “Maggie”  (Noordhoek) Dunford. The family moved to Twin Lakes  and Laura graduated from Albert Lea High School with the class of 1983. She completed cosmetology school in Austin.

Throughout her life Laura had worked in cosmetology, at Plymouth Shoe Store and had done some photography, but her heart was in being a mom to her kids.

Laura was always with you in the moment and had perfected the fine art of listening. She found joy in the simplest things, and gardening, riding a bike and taking nature walks were among her favorites. Laura was an awesome cook, loved shopping and enjoyed caring for her beloved puppy dogs. She held those in her family close and loved family time. Her daily visits with her sister on the phone about life and faith were cherished by Laura and her sister alike. She was an integral part of the faith community at New Life Christian Church in Albert Lea.

Laura died Monday, Jan. 26, 2015, at Methodist Hospital in Rochester. She was 50.

Left to cherish her memory are her husband, Reid Knudsen; her children Jordan, Alysha and Brianna Knudsen;   her brothers Randy (Brenda) Dunford of Walters and Richard Dunford of Medford; her sister, Lynn (Tom) Mansager, of Hollandale; mother-in-law, Harriet Knudsen, of Albert Lea; sisters-in-law Jan (Les) Coe of Alton, Iowa, and Linda Knudsen of Albert Lea; and several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her mother and father; her stepfather, Anthony Kochis; brother, Ronald Dunford; sister-in-law, Kay Knudsen; brother-in-law, Brian Knudsen; and father-in-law, Holger “Buzz” Knudsen.

Laura will be remembered for her kind heart, always giving, never saying no. She was a woman of very strong faith and  had a gift of connecting her heart to others.

She will be lovingly missed.