Max Knudson Obituary

1939 ~ 2020
Max Knudson, beloved husband, father and writer finished his final paragraph on October 28, 2020. Max served as the Business Editor for the Deseret News for 22 years, retiring in 2002. (We are the poorer as he never wrote much again.) Max was born on the next to last day of 1939, December 30th - and always relished the fact that he could count that as a decade. His parents, Max B. Knudson and Elizabeth Colquhoun Hutchinson, raised a serious, young boy who enjoyed reading, especially his favorite Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge comic books, preferably, chilled in the refrigerator and with a sour apple on the side! To this day he still has a stash of those comics. Max grew up one block east of the railroad tracks, got into a certain amount of young-boy trouble, graduated from South High School, and left to find adventure after one quarter at the U. He learned to play the guitar and developed into an accomplished folk singer; managed an Arizona coffee house, tried to "find fame and fortune" in Southern California and was drafted by Uncle Sam in 1961. He arrived at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri in the dead of winter and served as an information specialist - producing his first newspaper.
He performed as a folk singer in the Army entertainment contests and in musicals put on for the base. He married Mary Carol Murphy of Union, South Carolina, both were honorably discharged. Max returned to the University of Utah, graduated in 1969 and after divorcing, married Karen Christensen in 1970. Max worked for the Salt Lake Tribune, Salt Lake International Center, Evans Advertising and finished his career as Business Editor for the Deseret News. Max was an avid reader, golfer and car guru.
Max was a loving father and welcomed son Erik Byron Knudson in 1965, and daughters Kelly Peters Christensen Knudson in 1977 and Lindsay Elizabeth Knudson Williams in 1984.
Max was diagnosed with a brain tumor last fall, had brain surgery and radiation, but unfortunately his type of cancer, a glioblastoma, is lethal and life expectancy is 3-18 months even with treatment. He died peacefully at home with many thanks to his hospice team and dedicated family.
Max leaves a legacy of well-crafted newspaper stories, always clearly written, without typos and made every deadline. His car reviews were legendary. Max would be beyond devastated that both the Tribune and the Deseret News are ceasing daily printed publication. Please continue to support our precious newspapers as they are a life-line to understanding our ever-changing world.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to your favorite charity and VOTE (for Biden and Harris) and GO UTES!!

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Deseret News from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1, 2020.

Memories and Condolences
for Max Knudson

13 Entries

Jayne Clark

January 15, 2021

Karen,
I sadly just learned from the Judge Memorial magazine that Max passed away in October. I hope you can enjoy all the good memories that the two of you created.

I would love to be in touch with you again!

Cousin Jayne

Gary & Paulette Birdsall

November 5, 2020

We are sending our kind thoughts to the family of Max Knudson!

While with Mountain Fuel, Gary had the pleasure of working with Max in his role as the Business Editor of the Deseret News. The highlight of my business dealings with Max is when joined a business delegation to New York in in the mid-1980s. We met with several key business professionals who help companies decide to expand their businesses. Did we also have fun -- yes! Max joined me, and my wife Paulette, as we explored Manhattan. Finally, in 1987, Max generated some great press for The Salt Shakers (SL Chamber's Goodwill Ambassadors) as we celebrated our first 20 years. What a great guy--he will be missed!

Jan and Nate Bowers

November 5, 2020

Karen, So sorry to hear of Max's passing. He (and you) were good neighbors and those are hard to find. I remember his very well written neighborhood plea, to git rid of the speed bumps hampering his progress out of the subdivision. His plea worked, and they were eliminated! We all appreciate a smooth ride. We love you both, Jan and Nate

Marjorie Cortez

November 4, 2020

Dear Karen and family,
Bo and I were saddened to learn of Max’s death and wanted to reach out to you, Kelly and Lindsay to express our condolences.
Max had such great passion for his work. I think of him rushing into the newsroom fresh off an interview and pounding out a beautifully written and impeccably reported story on deadline - nearly always an exclusive. This happened often, largely because Max had an amazing network of sources that respected him and trusted him to tell their stories.
For me, Max was an essential mentor. I learned so much from him and I was grateful for his kindness when I was trying to navigate life as a young working mom.
Please know I am thinking of you at this time.
With sympathy,
Marjorie Cortez

Richard Nash

November 1, 2020

I was an intern at the D-News, assigned primarily to the business desk, in the summer of 1980. It’s easy to ignore an intern but Max — and George Ferguson — never did. Max was a delight to work with: He was complimentary when I did well, smart, connected, skilled, focused, and always funny. Plus he was incredibly cool. That’s the one word that describes him. His car reviews provided proof. He was a role model to me. I appreciate his influence and join his family in mourning his passing.

Valerie Schulthies

October 31, 2020

I was so sorry to open the Deseret News this morning and see that Max was gone. Seeing his picture brought back good memories of working together with him, George Ferguson, Arnold Irvine, Roger Pusey, and Matt Brown on the business desk years ago. I remember teasing them about how handsome they looked when they coincidentally wore the same color shirts, giving birth to "Pink Shirt Day."
I remember Max pulling his hair out one afternoon after spending a long day at a baffling Public Service Commission hearing. Shortly after this, I was assigned to cover the PSC, and the first hearing I went to left me equally confused. But it led to a fascinating five years of reporting during a tumultuous time for the state's utility companies.
I remember talking with Max about our shared love of folk music. I think he told me he even spent a short time with the Christy Minstrels or the New Christy Minstrels. I was suitably impressed.
I, too, am sad that the Deseret News and Salt Lake Tribune are no longer going to put out a daily paper. It's depressing to see what has happened to newspapers in the years since Max and I left the business. We didn't realize at the time that our post-Watergate years were the halcyon days for journalism.
My heart goes out to the Knudson family. Max will be missed.

Jerry Johnston

October 30, 2020

Been dreading this day, Mick. Golf ain't golf without you praising and/or needling me. The old foursome, The Four Fresh Men, are dwindling. You and Vern gone now, Johnny Ringo and I waiting for the final tee; you know, the one where'd you'd stand at the tee box and call out "Last chance for glory!"

Audrey

October 30, 2020

Max was amazing. Being in the DN library we had many conversations. Including George and Roger with us. God bless! Blessings to his family, of whom he spoke often!

Jamie Woolf

October 30, 2020

For a couple of years, Max was night city editor at the Salt Lake Tribune and I was the night police reporter. We spent lots of quiet nights together, reading page proofs, listening to the police scanner, and chatting. I learned a lot about the news business from him. Sorry to see him go.

Bob Bernick

October 30, 2020

Max was a wonderful man. We sat near each other in the old DN city room. I, a terrible speller, would shout out a word and he would spell it correctly every time. A true pro.

Lois Collins

October 30, 2020

Max was such a kind and lovely colleague. My sincere condolences. Lois

Cass

October 30, 2020

Dearest Knudson Family, please accept my sincere condolences for the passing of your beloved husband, father, grandfather. I’m a friend of Lindsay’s and I know that she loved him so. I’m sure he was so proud of her amazing accomplishments, drawn from the strength and love she attained from her parents. God Bless you all through this difficult time. ~Cassandra

Linda Baldwin

October 30, 2020

Dear Karen, Kelly, and Lindsay, we are so sorry to hear of Max's passing. We share so many memories of our families growing up together in our Aspen Circle days. We had so much fun with your family as neighbors. Our thoughts are with you during this difficult time. Max would be pleased to know that our whole family has already cast ballots for Biden/Harris. Our love to you during this difficult time. Linda, Brad, Jessica, Allison, and Haley Baldwin.

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