Dawn Nancy Amundson

She was born Nancy Ann Knight at Grant Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, on September 20, 1946 to Howard Gray and Dorothy Florine Knight (nee Rickmann). Her ancestry was Native American, being mostly Apache, Cherokee, Paiute, and Sioux.

Mrs. Amundson was raised in Chicago, and married Paul Christian Amundson soon after her graduation from Senn High School. She then gave birth to her only child, Christopher Gray Amundson. Dawn was widowed in 1970.

She began a business in 1976. Located in the Portage Park neighborhood, Amundson Arts Academy taught dance, drama, voice, and music. Having many professional students who needed representation, she then opened a booking agency named Aaron Alexander Enterprises. She picked that name so it could be listed first in the Yellow Pages. The company helped Chicago's Hospitality Industry with its live entertainment needs. This led her to the creation of Amundson Enterprises / Mystery Limited, a company that produces live murder mystery events. At the height of the business, she was the largest domestic purchaser of Amtrak Tickets, and had operations in Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Detroit. Dawn wrote, produced, and promoted these shows for over 40 years.

Mrs. Amundson was a dog lover who raised champion Great Danes. She helped in many charitable endeavors including sitting on the board of the Ravenswood Community Council. A member of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, her contributions to the church are too many to list.

Mrs. Amundson is survived by her son Christopher Gray (Julie Ann), her granddaughter Cassandra Gray, her brother Charles Knight (Suzanne), niece Kathy Kemna (Michael). nephew Andrew Knight (Lorrain), niece Stephanie Chesbro (Robert), niece Laura Greb (Gregory), and eight great-nieces and great-nephews.

Visitation will begin at 2:00 pm with a Memorial Service starting at 4:00 pm on January 8, 2022, at St. Philip Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2500 West Bryn Mawr Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. Contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to St. Philip.