James Knudsen

March 27, 1920 - January 25, 2010

James George Knudsen, 89, of Corvallis died Monday at his home. He was born in Youngstown, Alberta, Canada, to Jens (James) Skol Knudsen and Rosena (Rose) Ray Knudsen. A farm boy from the prairie of Alberta, Jim received bachelor's and master's of science degrees in chemical engineering from the University of Alberta before earning a doctorate in chemical engineering in 1950 at the University of Michigan. He joined the faculty in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Oregon State University in 1951, and was the associate dean of the College of Engineering for many years until his retirement in 1985. In 1977, Jim received the Founder's Award from the American Institute of Chemical Engineering, and he was AIChE's national president in 1980. Jim was the co-author of a classic chemical engineering textbook on fluid dynamics and heat transfer, as well as author of hundreds of professional research articles. Over his academic career, he and his family enjoyed sabbatical leaves to Cambridge, England; Copenhagen, Denmark; and Brussels, Belgium. A true gentleman, Jim lovingly cared for his wife, Joyce, for many years during her prolonged illness. His hobbies were stamp collecting, cooking, reading, traveling and doing word puzzles. He married Joyce Mildred Renville on July 7, 1947, in Wainwright, Alberta. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Kathryn Lee Knudsen, and his beloved wife, Joyce Mildred Renville Knudsen. Survivors include a daughter, Shelley Lynne Knudsen Lindauer and her husband, John William (Bill) Lindauer Jr. of Logan, Utah; and his grandchildren, Breck Janssen Lindauer of Salem and Bergen Elyse Lindauer of Corvallis. Special thanks go to his wonderful, caring friends, Laura Swanson and Nick Wannanmacher, who took such loving care of him and his wife over the past few years. Memorial contributions can be made to Benton Hospice Service or the American Parkinson's Disease Association.