John Waldemar Knudsen

John Waldemar Knudsen was born January 24, 1938 in Spencer, IA to Maude Esther (Miller) and Johannes Waldemar (Knut) Knudsen. John attended school in Spencer, IA and graduated from Spencer High School in 1956, where he participated in drama productions, basketball, track, tennis, student council (serving as president his Sophomore year), choir and choir ensembles (being chosen for All-State Chorus his Junior and Senior years). John attended Iowa State University, Ames, IA where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Administration in 1961. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity, Investment Club, Business Student Association, Greek Week committees, and emceed "The Varieties" productions where he honed his entertainment skills. John was an intramural tennis player. While at Iowa State, John met his future wife, Jody. After graduation, John worked for the Illinois Central Railroad in Omaha, NE and Sioux City, IA. He soon learned that working for the railroad was not as exciting as pursuing trains as a hobby, thus signaling a career change for him. For forty-plus years, he worked as a sales-technical representative and a marketing executive for Johns-Manville Corporation and World Minerals Corporation. In his career, John drove over 1.5 million miles covering all the United States and Canada. He retired in September of 2003. On December 29, 1962, John married Jody Riser Knudsen at the First Methodist Church in Winterset, IA. They are the parents of Michael Waldemar, Eric John and three deceased sons, (twins) Andrew Riser and Stephan Jay, and Jeffrey Thomas. They lived in eight locations, Omaha, NE, Naperville, IL, Waukesha, WI, Ballwin, MO(the St. Louis area), Littleton, CO, Lompoc, CA, Green Valley, CA and Estes Park, CO (in John's parents' former home in Dunraven Heights). John was baptized at Wesley United Methodist Church, Naperville, IL, where he was a member. He has been a member of Southminster Presbyterian Church, Waukesha, WI, St. Mark's Presbyterian Church, Ballwin, MO and was currently an associate member of the Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, Estes Park, CO where he was a member of the choir. John was an active member of various trade organizations including the Master Brewers' Association of America, the Estes Valley Tennis Association where he was the captain of a mixed doubles team that went to district playoffs, Colorado Youth Tennis Foundation of the Colorado Tennis Association, where he served on the board and was chairman of the distribution committee. Several years ago, he established a scholarship fund for the Colorado Youth Tennis Association in memory of his mother, Maude and in honor of his wife, Jody. With trains as a hobby and an interest since his childhood, John was a member of the National Railway Historical Society and a charter member of the Iowa Railroad Historical Society. He was an avid reader of many train publications and a collector of train books and memorabilia. John liked sports, reading, traveling, and spending time with his family and grandchildren. John delighted in telling jokes and stories. Everyone was entertained and touched by his wit and humor. When his sons were in lower through upper school, John especially enjoyed watching them participate in athletic events. He served as the treasurer and president for the Bonhomme Youth Football program, with 600 plus boys participating in over twenty teams in a season. John was on the Booster Club Board for Parkway West High School in West St. Louis County, Mo for several years. In these roles he helped promote wonderful athletic programs and was able to spend time with his sons. He was devoted and loyal to his family and friends. John died in Estes Park, CO on September 18, 2006 after a valiant and courageous struggle with cancer. Over the previous eight months he had been receiving treatments at Duke University Medical Center in NC and in Estes Park and Loveland, CO. John was preceded in death by his parents, his step-mother, Marion (Marr) Knudsen, and three infant sons, (twins) Andrew, Stephan, and Jeffrey. John is survived by his wife, Jody, his sons, Mike and wife, Nancy of Raleigh, NC, Eric and wife, Cathy Knudsen of Leawood, KS; brother, Richard and wife, Annette of Pueblo, CO; nephew Kyler and wife Laura Knudsen of Ft. Collins, CO; sister-in-law, Judy and brother-in-law, Ried Mullin of Franklin, TN; niece Kim Mullin and friend Greg Boss; nephew Chad and wife Leslie Mullin and family of Franklin, TN; and several cousins. John has six grandchildren, Spencer, Ellie and Wolt Knudsen of Raleigh, NC and Haley, Tate and Mac Knudsen of Leawood, KS. A Celebration of Life Service was held at the Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, in Estes Park, CO on Saturday, September 23, 2006 at 11am. Memorial contributions may be directed to Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center in memory of John W. Knudsen for G I Oncology Research, Durham, NC in care of the Allnutt Funeral Home 1302 Graves Avenue Estes Park, CO, 80517.

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