Lois Marie Burgoyne, 67

Lois Marie Burgoyne was born February 4, 1944, in Pipestone, Minnesota, to Ottis and Lila (Palmer) Knudtson, and was baptized at First Lutheran Church. When she was 4 years old, her father died. The family remained in Pipestone until moving to Madison, South Dakota, in 1957. In 1959, they moved to Northfield and Lois graduated from Northfield High School in 1962. She then attended St. Olaf College, graduating in 1966 with a degree in Music Education. Her first teaching job was in Marshfield, Wisconsin.

She married Daniel Burgoyne on December 27, 1966, at St. Dominic’s Catholic Church in Northfield. After marriage they lived in Brainerd and Lois taught at Brainerd and Crosby/Ironton. In 1972, they moved to the Twin Cities and Lois taught for a year in Forest Lake. In 1973, she and Daniel divorced. Lois and Michael continued living in the Twin Cities and she worked as an apartment manager. In 1981, they moved to Northfield and Lois began working for the Northfield Retirement Community as Director of Housing. She remained with NRC until retiring in 2010. 

Lois was a member of Bethel Lutheran Church where she was active with Senior Choir and Bell Choir. She loved music and over the years played piano for many NAG productions as well as serving as accompanist for many vocal groups. She was a kind and loving mother, grandmother, sister and friend. 

Survivors include her son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Susan of Minnetonka; 2 grandchildren: Katherine and Charles; her brothers and their wives: Robert and Joan Knudtson of St. Paul, David and Donna Knudtson of Northfield; her sister-in-law, Jean Knudtson of Bountiful, Utah; her brother-in-law, Robert Skarnes of Sudbury, Massachusetts; nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Marilyn Skarnes, and her brothers Neal and baby James Knudtson. 

Lois passed away at her home in Northfield on Saturday morning, January 7, 2012, at the age of 67. 

Services will be 2:00PM Saturday, January 14, 2012, at Bethel Lutheran Church in Northfield with Rev. Tim McDermott officiating. Music will be provided by....   Refreshments will follow.  Visitation will be at the church one hour prior to the funeral. 

Memorials are preferred to the Northfield Retirement Community Foundation, Bethel Lutheran Church and the Animal Humane Society. 

Arrangements are with the Benson & Langehough Funeral Home.