Marlene G. Smith, 68 died Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at the Tieszen Memorial Home, Marion. Memorial services will be at 1:30pm Saturday, January 17, 2015 at Grace Lutheran Church, Parker. A prayer service will be at 7:30pm Friday evening at the Hofmeister Jones Funeral Home, Parker. Marlene Grace Knudsen was born on April 6, 1946 at Hudson, SD to Merlin and Agena (Freese) Knudsen. She grew up near Parker where she attended District #51 country school and Parker High School. She has been employed at the Gas Stop, Donlan's Foodland, Home Health Care, and for the past 15 years as a CNA at the Tieszen Memoral Home in Marion. She was an avid reader, loved her animals, gardening, and houseplants. Grateful for having shared her life are a daughter Pam (Bill) Johns, Parker; special friend Elton "Kraut" Schoenwald, Marion; her mother Agena Knudsen, Parker; 3 grandchildren, Samara, Conrad, and Ethan, and 8 great grandchildren; 5 brothers and sisters, Elaine (Greg) Schimkat, Naperville, IL, Sheryl (Dave) Hamilton, Parker, Roger Knudsen, Mullica Hill, NJ, Scott Knudsen, Parker, and Tim Knudsen, Sioux Falls; a sister in law, Cynthia Knudsen, Sioux Falls; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father Merlin Knudsen and a brother Doug Knudsen. Memorials maybe directed to the Parker Library.