Jerry Allen Knudsen

On Thursday, August 22, 2024, Jerry Allen Knudsen, 80, a loving husband and devoted father of two, formerly of St. Charles, Illinois, passed away at Hospice of the Valley in Surprise, Arizona.

Jerry was born to Lester and Ella "Katie" Knudsen on March 19, 1944, in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from Steinmetz High School in Chicago and began his career in the plastic injection molding field by furthering his education at the Tool and Die Institute of Chicago. Jerry worked at various shops around the Chicagoland area early in his career, or as he would say, "my time on the bench," working his way up from apprentice to journeyman to lead moldmaker. One of the positions he enjoyed most was as a Boring Mill Operator. As Jerry often said, "I was a good moldmaker, but I was great on the boring mill." He eventually took on a foreman position at BA Die Mold and then became a sales manager at Mold-Masters Hot Runner Systems. One of his major accomplishments at Mold-Masters was inventing and receiving a patent for designing a 32-cavity manifold system. He later became the Director of Sales and Engineering at Plano Molding Company and retired from his last job at The Lakone Company before moving to Sun City, Arizona.

Jerry was not defined by his career but by the love he had for his family. This love began on Saturday, September 30, 1967, when he married the love of his life, Rose. He was a loving father to his daughter Monica and son Kristoffer. He enjoyed being social, whether it was a couples' night out, golfing or bowling, playing cards and board games, listening to oldies and country music, or trying to paint the Arizona landscape. He also enjoyed watching old cowboy shows like Hopalong Cassidy. Spending time with his wife, children, grandchildren, and friends brought him immense joy. He was known for his corny jokes and stories, and he never ended a conversation without saying "I love you."

Jerry is survived by his loving wife, Rose Knudsen; daughter Monica (Brian); son Kristoffer (Jennifer); grandchildren Haley, Shaun (Amber), Kelly, and Eric; brother Ronald Knudsen (P.J.); brother-in-law Robert Biegler (Lisa); sister-in-law Monica Biegler; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lester and Ella "Katie" Knudsen; his in-laws, Peter and Anna Biegler; and brothers-in-law Peter Jr. (Ramona), and Anthony Biegler.

Memorial services will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Hospice of the Valley, Surprise Arizona in honor of Jerry.