Sena Knowles, age 98, of Mahnomen, MN, passed away on Easter Sunday, April 17, 2022, at the Mahnomen Health Center Nursing Home.

Sena Jeanette Knowles was born on July 4, 1923, at home to John and Katie (Konken) Santjer. Sena was the youngest of eight children. She grew up on a farm just east of Bejou, MN and attended a one room schoolhouse until the 8 ^th grade. She attended Mahnomen High School for 9 ^th and 10 ^th grade. She then helped her Dad on the farm until 1951 when Sena and her family moved into town. Sena worked at Hallstrom's in Bejou where her future husband, Lawrence, came in numerous times. He asked her to go out with him three times. The first two times she said "No" and agreed to one date the third time. Sena and Lawrence Knowles were married October 9, 1956 in Mahnomen at the parsonage. The newlyweds made their home east of Mahnomen and farmed. They raised five children: Jim, Lloyd, Paul, Robert and Sandra. While Sena was raising her family, she also taught Sunday School, was a member of the Farmers Union Rainbow Club, and was an active member of Circles of Faith Church until her passing. Sena enjoyed writing letters, sending cards, baking, playing card games, canning, gardening, attending Hobby Club, playing the organ at church, traveling to Denver, CO, to see Jim and his family, and spending time with her family close to home. Sena had a large vegetable garden and many flower gardens for most of her life. She hung clothes on the line, even in the winter. She lived on the farm until February 21, 2022, when she moved into the Mahnomen Nursing Home where she lived until her passing.

Sena is survived by her children, Jim (Joyce) Santjer of Littleton, CO, Lloyd Knowles of Detroit Lakes,MN, and Paul (Betty) Knowles of Mahnomen, and Sandra (Roy) Hershberger of Bemidji, MN; her grandchildren: Doug (Kaprie) Santjer, Stacey (Ken) Hammett, Tiffany (J.J.) Fletcher, Brittany Knowles, Melissa (Derek) Guenther, Nicole McCarthick, Joshua (Julie) Knowles, Ashley Hershberger, and Sarah Hershberger; her great-grandchildren: Andrew, Kylie, Carter, Tallin,  Katie, Brayden, Christian, Alexander, Molly, Cocoa, Kaber, Nova, Ashia, Nicholas, Anthony, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Logan, Liam, Mackenzie, Benjamin and Sena; her great-great-grandchildren, Destiny and Faith; one brother-in-law, Ralph Knowles and many nieces and nephews.

Sena is preceded in death by her husband, Lawrence Knowles; one son, Robert Knowles; one daughter-in-law, Sheryl Knowles; grandson, Lance Santjer; her parents, John and Katie Santjer; her siblings: Hilko, John, Sophie (Henry) Sweep, Frieda (Miner) Koolstra, Benny, and Fredrick and Jenny (twins), and other family and friends.

A Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, April 29, 2022, at the Circles of Faith, United Church of Christ in Waubun, MN.  Visitation will be at Anderson Family Funeral Home in Mahnomen on Thursday, April 28, 2022, from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., with a Prayer Service beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Please feel free to sign the guestbook, send condolences and view other opportunities which may be available on the website. The Funeral Service will be recorded and available for viewing on our website shortly after the service.