Verna Knapp

Verna Knapp, 100, of Bristol and formerly of Waubay, passed away, Sunday, April 27, 2025, at Sun Dial Manor in Bristol.

Funeral services will be 10:30am, Friday, May 23, 2025, at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Waubay. Burial will be at Lakewood Cemetery, near Waubay.

Visitation will be one hour prior to services at the church.

Verna Idah Althoff was born on Election Day, November 4, 1924 to Simon and Ella (Gramberg) Althoff at Creek Valley Farm in rural Waubay, South Dakota. She was the fourth daughter of what eventually became a family of twelve children, six boys and six girls. She was baptized in the Morton Methodist Church south of Webster and was later confirmed by Rev. E.S. Vik at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Waubay. Verna attended school at Day Co. Owens Creek #175 and graduated from Waubay High School in 1942. She worked for a time in Watertown, then taught at a country school in Day County, north of Webster.

On June 24, 1945, she was united in marriage to Glen Knapp in Waubay. To this union three children were born, Roger, Sylvia and Linda. Glen and Verna ran a herd of beef cows and a dairy herd of Brown Swiss. In 1970, following Glen’s second heart attack, they dispersed most of the Brown Swiss except for about 10.Verna continued dairying until 1992.

Verna is perhaps best known for her baking and canning skills, having amassed many blue and purple ribbons at local and state fairs for her breads, especially! She began competing in 1957 at the Day County Fair. A few years later she won the South Dakota State Fair Championship for her white bread. She won a year’s worth of yeast and a family photo session. She continued competing until the 1980’s. During this time, she also baked and decorated cakes. And, except in later years she always planted a large garden. In the late 1970’s to early 1990’s she cared for many elderly people in her home.

Following Glen’s passing in 1999 she tackled other projects. She focused on publishing a cookbook. She sorted through recipes and picked out favorites for three winters. Summers were reserved for gardening. In 2006 she published her cookbook, “My Recipe Round-up at the Knapp Ranch,” a compilation of stories about local life and her collection of favorite recipes, including several prize winners. She served a 4-H leader, on the One Road Township Board and School Board and an officer of W.E.L.C.A. at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church.

She passed away on April 27, 2025, at Sun Dial Nursing Home at the age of 100 years, 5 months and 23 days.

She is survived by her children, Roger (& Marilyn Leraas) Sylvia ( & John Kerr) and Linda ( Elliott) Cohen, six grandchildren, Brenner (Lisa) Knapp, Brady (Kortney), Alia (David) Bartell, Alegra (Clint) Duerre, A. Grayson (Michelle) Bloom, Gabriel Parish, twelve great-grandchildren, Conor and Ava Knapp, Kenna and Kyla Knapp, Soren and Claire Bartell, Max Duerre and Georgia (Cason) Dinger, Ayla, Bryson, Barrett and Vera Bloom. She is also survived by two sisters, Dorothy (Lloyd) Pies and Marie (David Barstad) Leppin-Graves, two sisters-in-law, Barbara Althoff and Gaila Althoff, and a plethora of nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Glen, three sisters, Evelyn (Rudy) Pies, Irene (Everett) Pies, Myrtle (Roman) Young Burkard, six brothers, Earl (Serine) Althoff, Clarence Althoff, Harold Althoff, Eugene (Oriet) Althoff, Duane Althoff, and Virgil Althoff.