Charles Einer Knudsen

Charles Einer Knudsen, Jr, 97, passed away peacefully in his home on Thursday, August 21, 2025, in Dallas, Texas. Charles (Chuck) was born on August 16, 1928, in Park Ridge, Illinois, and was the son of Elizabeth Kelly and Charles Einer Knudsen.

Chuck attended Maine Township High School in Park Ridge, Illinois. He went on to receive his undergraduate degree in Business from Northwestern University, where he was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity and of the university’s renowned theater group, Waa-Mu. Chuck always had a great sense of humor and appreciated clean, clever writing. He briefly considered pursuing stand-up comedy.

Upon graduation from Northwestern, he enlisted in the United States Navy, where he served four years of active duty and two years in the reserve, retiring as a Lieutenant.

In 1956, while on leave, he met Claudia Tyree Manfuso while on a double date. Their chemistry together was obvious to everyone. They were married at the Navy Chapel in Washington, DC on May 3, 1958, and began their new life together in Fresno, California, where they raised three beautiful children: Charles, Christopher, and Cynthia.

Chuck had an illustrious sales career with the A.J. Nystrom company —first in Fresno, then in Maryland—where he built strong, lasting relationships with his clients by always keeping his word and doing what was necessary to ensure his products met their needs. He led the company in sales 17 years in a row and retired in 1994 as its most accomplished salesman.

In 1989, Chuck felt a calling to convert to Roman Catholicism. Always looking to give back to the community, he and Claudia became active members of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and of the John Carroll Society, two Catholic charitable organizations created to provide social assistance and aid to those in need.

Chuck loved spending time with his grandchildren both individually and as a group. Lovingly called “Gda,” he was a constant presence at their many sports games and various choral and theater productions. He would tell you that what he loved most was playing silly games with them or having a simple conversation about how they were doing. His grandchildren fondly remember him teaching them about the “dessert pocket:” a magical part of the stomach that always has room for a snickerdoodle cookie, a scoop of ice cream or a slice of Key Lime pie.

Chuck is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Claudia and by his three children, Charles Knudsen (Ellen), Christopher Knudsen (Dracie) and Cynthia Knudsen Eichenholz (Phillip) and by eight wonderful grandchildren, William Eichenholz (Jeanne), Charles Knudsen, Jeffrey Eichenholz (Sydney), Caitlin Knudsen, Michael Knudsen, Kelly Eichenholz, Colleen Knudsen, and Matthew Knudsen and 2 great grandchildren Eloise Eichenholz and George Eichenholz.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, August 29th at Christ the King Church in Dallas, Texas, followed by a burial service at Calvary Hill Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to The Little Sisters of the Poor of Washington, DC (https://www.wesharegiving.org/App/Form/5461ed05-b71b-4856-8db1-3091485efc23)