Silas John Knudsen Sr.'s Obituary
Silas John Knudsen (Si, known to his friends and family) went to be with the Lord on September 3, 2019 at age 75 with Faith Presbyterian Hospice home care for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. His wife, Elizabeth Ann (Libbie) Morrison Simonton, of Middletown, New York and Richardson, Texas was with him. They had married March 18, 2006.He was the second child born on January 20, 1944 in Logansport, Indiana to Reverend Raymond Barnett Knudsen and Edna Mae Nielsen. Early years were spent growing up in Logansport, Indiana; Warsaw, and Springfield, Illinois. They had retired and predeceased him in Florida.His brothers, retired Reverend Dr. Raymond Barnett Knudsen of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and Mark Allen Knudsen of Wellington, Florida, survive him. His younger sister, Ann Delight Knudsen Semotan, predeceased him on March 2, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida.Si was a committed family man and raised four children with his first wife, Marcia Cassedy Knudsen of Middletown, New York. Their children were: Anne Knudsen Rendeiro, John Silas Knudsen, Christian (Chris) Burnes Knudsen, and Stephanie Knudsen Burton. Marcia passed away in 2004 after a long illness in Laguna Niguel, California.There were four children and many grandchildren, nieces and cousins in Arizona, California, Colorado, DC Area, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, and Texas. His children’s families follow:Parents are David and Anne Rendeiro of Corona, California;Joshua Rendeiro – Berea, Ohio;Gabriella Rendeiro Dalpe – Orange, California;Grace Rendeiro – Dana Point, California;Faith Rendeiro – Dana Point, California.John and Sylvia Knudsen have no children.Parents are Christian and Brooke Knudsen of Mission Viejo, CaliforniaZack and Katie Knudsen Vanden Bosch – Capistrano Beach, CaliforniaJake and Emily Knudsen Wade – Capistrano Beach, California.Parents are Stephanie and John Burton of metro DC area;Jason Aaron Cohen and Megan Cohen – Baltimore, Maryland;Madisen Alexa Burton – metro DC area.Si’s brothers and sister’s family’s follow:Parents are Reverend Dr. Raymond Barnett Knudsen and Jane Knudsen of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan;Steve and Heidi Knudsen DeFina – Fenton, Michigan;Heather Knudsen Hesano – Southfield, Michigan.Parents are Mark and Diosdada (Da) Knudsen of Wellington, Florida;Ekaterina Lyra Knudsen, – Wellington, Florida;Regina Edna Knudsen – Wellington, Florida;–Raymond Barnett Knudsen II – Wellington, Florida;Stepson Gerald Suycano Knudsen – San Jose, California.Children from former marriageParents are James and Ann Delight Knudsen Semotan of Green Cove Springs, Florida;David and Heather Semotan (private)Damion and Sarah Semotan Ellis (private)He graduated from Feitchans High School in Springfield, Illinois, and Illinois College in Jacksonville, Illinois in 1973. He also attended Orange County Community College in Middletown, New York. His Bachelors Degree was in History and Government. He was also a member of the Phi Alpha Literary Society.His 40-year career in the Health Benefits business was mainly in various areas of California, where he had founded companies or served in various capacities and was President of five companies. He had written Health Care Reform, 2009 in which copies went to Representatives of both Houses of Congress and President Obama.His interests included: religion, writing, politics, extensive travel in the US and Europe, as well as research for family ancestry on Danish settlers in the Midwest and Denmark. He was highly respected, loved and admired throughout his successful business career.His ashes will be buried in Abbey Estates at Restland Cemetery, Dallas, Texas, on September 30, 2019.Donations may be sent to Richardson Area Interfaith Habitat for Humanity, c/o Ed Murray, 1111 Eton, Richardson, TX 75080 in Si’s memory.
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