Doreen Knutson-Panko

Doreen Janet Lynn Knutson-Panko, 44, of Great Falls, passed away of natural causes Friday, April 1, 2016.Doreen was born on March 2, 1972 to Janet and Harold Dean Sr. in Hendricks, Minnesota. She moved to Great Falls, Montana when she was six, where she lived for the next 38 years. She married Cliffton Panko in the summer of 1999.Cliff loved her three children from her previous marriage, as if they were his own. Everett (Tylee), Calvin (VElana), Charity (Jerrod),whom gave them seven beautiful grandchildren Damien, Kiara, Jak, Danny, Aiden, Karter, and Trinity. She also embraced her nieces and nephews including Jordan and her son Kovu plus many others shed taken under her wing.Her house was often described as a playground. Doreen was the type of person everybody looked up to, one who would give you the shirt off her back if she knew you needed it more.She was an avid Cowboys fan and was known to get rowdy when it came to football. She also loved NASCAR, Dr Pepper, cross necklaces, and her doll collection, but most of all she loved people. As described by her son, Calvin, she was Queen of everything.Doreen is survived by her siblings and their spouses, Dean (Jody), Jeffrey, Dawn, Kori (Dusty), Stacey (Chad), Chris and her children, and grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and her second families, the Goldingers and the Busseys plus many friends.She is preceded in death by her grandparents, Elsie and Melvern Knutson, George and Lois Zitzka, and uncle Ron Goldinger.She has been cremated and the ashes will be scattered at a later time.Services will be held at Harvest Springs Community Church, 1001 36th Ave NE in Great Falls.A GoFundMeAccount has been opened to help pay for final costs and donations will be accepted at the service.