Carl O. Knutson, MD, FACS

The son of the lates’ Amos and Lucille Knutson, he was born in Waukegan, Illinois on Tuesday, August 23rd, 1938, but always valued being able to call the Louisville area his home. We, as a community, certainly benefited greatly from his decision to end up here.

He graduated from Michigan State University and received his medical degree from University of Michigan. He received his extensive surgical training at the University of Missouri and completed an extra fellowship from the American Cancer Society during this period. Carl joined the surgical faculty at the University of Louisville in 1972 where he was an Associate Professor of Surgery and Endoscopy. He was among the first physicians in Louisville to perform endoscopy procedures and was the first to perform and perfect the, then, new procedure of flexible colonoscopy. He performed many thousands of these in his career and became the standard of excellence for all to follow.

In 1980, Carl left the University and began his private practice of surgery at Audubon Hospital. Besides his successful and excellent career, he was a medical staff leader and among his many offices were the head of the Department of Surgery and president of the Medical Staff. He was the author and co-author of over 30 medical publications. He was a member of numerous medical, surgical, and endoscopic societies. One thing about him, he was always the first physician at the hospital in the morning and among the last to leave at night.

His love of medicine was perhaps only exceeded by his love of boating and the water. He spent his free time on his beloved boat, Olympus, and would be frequently found anchored off the foot of 12 Mile Island on the weekends. With the changes occurring in medicine, the always rebellious Carl left Louisville and joined the US Navy in 1990 as a physician. To fulfill his Navy dreams of adventure, he moved to the West Coast and was based in San Diego. He navigated the Adelante from Louisville to San Diego with the company, at various times, of friends, family and fellow sea lovers. However, the timing of his naval career was not the greatest. Upon entering into service, Operation Desert Storm began and instead of high sea adventures, he ended up in the desert of Saudi Arabia. He ultimately returned to Louisville with his wife, Linda, and their dog, Sherlock. They piloted their dream trawler, Tesoro, back through the Panama Canal and home to Louisville.

Besides his parents, Amos T. and Lucille Knutson; his brother, LeRoy Kermit “Lee” Knutson, precedes Carl in his passing.

He was the beloved husband of Linda for 36 years. He is survived by his children, Randy Knutson (Rebecca), Laura Knutson, Mandy Lunte (Ben), Tony Sermersheim (Shannon), Carrie Sermersheim (Philip) and grandchildren Nicolas Lamas (Kaitlyn), Lucy Sermersheim, Kate Frederick, Zoe Sermersheim, and Elizabeth Knutson.

In lieu of flowers and customary expressions of sympathy, memorial contributions in honor of Carl and his memory may be made to the Gary Sinise Foundation (www.garysinisefoundation.org/donate).

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, February 28, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. with military funeral honors in the Heady Memorial Chapel of Arch L. Heady & Son Funeral Home - Southern Chapel, (3601 Taylor Boulevard, Louisville, Kentucky, 40215) with cremation to follow.

Visitation will be held on Friday, February 27, 2026, from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. and then again on Saturday, February 28, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. until the Funeral Hour of 1:00 p.m. also at Arch L. Heady & Son Funeral Home - Southern Chapel (3601 Taylor Boulevard, Louisville, Kentucky, 40215).

Arrangements are under the direction of Arch L. Heady & Son Funeral Home - Southern Chapel, "Where Personal And Sincere Service Is Tradition."