Kirstin Ann Knudsen

Kirstin Ann Knudsen (53) mother to Kyle, Cody, and Kolae Knudsen, passed away peacefully at home on July 1, 2023. 

Kirstin was born on February 26, 1970 in Seattle, Washington. She was the youngest daughter to Dorothy (Nelson) Wetzel, and Vernon Wetzel, and sister to Steve, Mark, and K. Lynn Wetzel. She was raised in American Falls and graduated high school. She then married James Knudsen in 1988 and moved to Pocatello. Together they raised three beautiful children. 

When her first son Kyle was born, she received an Associate’s degree in Cosmetology. She was a stay at home mother and also worked part-time as a Cosmetologist. 

Kirstin was very full of life and family came first. Her kids and her parents were her most important priorities. Laughing and spending time with loved ones was her favorite pastime. Anytime there was a family get together, event, or holiday, Kirstin would always cook a huge meal and include everyone. Memories of togetherness were of absolute importance to her and those meals were a big contribution to that. A fan favorite was her twice baked potatoes. There was always plenty. She would say she only knew how to cook to feed an army. Afterward, she would put together plates of food and deliver them to those who were in need of a home-cooked meal. The generosity and desire to help others came naturally to her. 

She enjoyed working in food service and worked at Puerto Vallarta for several years, and then she spent the last 4 years working at Butterburrs. She loved being around people and her smile was contagious. 

Kirstin loved to travel. She went to South Dakota to see Mount Rushmore, and also went on a cruise to Alaska recently. She always made sure to look for the beauty in life wherever she went. Her favorite genre of music was country. She attended both a Luke Combs and a Carrie Underwood concert in recent years. 

Kirstin was able to attend several monumental moments in her children’s lives in the last two years. She went to her oldest son Kyle’s wedding and was able to enjoy those festivities. Kirstin was able to attend Kyle’s college graduation in May where he received his Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering. In June, her daughter Kolae graduated from Century High School with Honors. She was very happy to be with her children for each of those milestones. 

She was a good example of kindness and friendship to us all. Kirstin will live on in the memories and hearts of all who were able to know and love her. She will be incredibly missed.

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