Jens Olaf Knudsen

Jens “Buster” Knudsen passed away on November 24, 2011. He was 93 years old. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, April 18, 1918 to Jens Sr and Martine (Larson) Knudsen who had immigrated from Denmark shortly before. He was the oldest of three children with sisters Esther and Norma. As kids they all lived and worked on a farm with their parents in Nebraska and Iowa. When he was 15 they sold their farm and bought a new truck, built what looked like a camper on it, and headed west ending up in the Priest River area. Buster served in the CCC’s for some time where they would teach you a trade. You got very little money and most of that was mailed home. The men in these camps were from all over the country. He worked in the woods as a knot bumper (they knocked limbs off with an ax or mall) probably for Olson’s. He loved the outdoors, hunting and fishing with his lifelong friends, Carl and Betty Wright, Ralph and Dollie Wright, Ken and Stella Shaw, the Sorenson’s and Solheim’s. When the war broke out (WWII) he went into the Army and served in the South Pacific. Buster was a member of the VFW and DAV for most of his life always donating money when he had it. When he came home he met Ethel Struck. They married Oct. 1, 1946. They had three children. He loved his kids, took them fishing, picnicking and on “short” drives that could last all day!! Tried to tell them he didn’t know where he was but always made it back. He was quite a character. When Pat got old enough he would take him hunting. Good times! Ethel died in 1973 after a bout with cancer. They had 27 years together. He worked all sorts of jobs. At some point he got a contract to deliver mail up the east side on some of the worst roads around. He had bought a surplus Army truck and slogged through mud past the axles to get mail and supplies through to Coolin. He worked for AC Fuher and his son Jack who owned East River Lumber Co. He was a sawyer in the woods and then later at their mill in Bodie Canyon. The men working as loggers are the first to fight fires and he willingly did his part. It was good money and that always helped out at home. Mr. Sudnicovich “Snick” was the crew boss on several fires. Buster fought on the Lamb Creek, Sundance and Pack River fires and many more. He worked for Engblom Brothers helping with house moving occasionally for extra money. He was a volunteer fireman. He always wanted to help his neighbors when he could. None of them had much money but they knew they could depend on each other. He loved horses and dogs. Some neighbors would bring unruly horses to him to work out the kinks. They would go back home with many better manners. Buster went to work for Frank “Junior” Anselmo at Kaniksu tractor & Implement as a mechanic and delivered equipment all over the northwest. He was sent to mechanics school in Portland with several of the men that worked at Kaniksu Tractor. He was also sent to learn about installing irrigation systems. Anselmo’s sold out to Joe Murray in the late 60’s changing the business name to Murray Equipment. Buster continued to work for him. In Dec. 1971 the weather was terrible with lots of snow on the roads and it had rained. Buster was asked to take the truck up highway 57, either picking up or delivering equipment, and he was in a terrible wreck, colliding nearly head on with another truck. His hips were crushed. He spent a long time in the hospital and rehab. At that time they didn’t do hip replacements so he was done working. He could walk but had a lot of pain, most of the time you never knew. He was a strong man. He would arm wrestle with Larry Dean (Mary’s friend) right up to the week before he died. He did get a hip replacement many years later and it lessened the pain, but his left foot and legs never did completely recover. Buster was always up for a road trip. All you had to say was “let’s go” in his more mobile years. He drove to Alaska twice. He loved every minute of it, even salmon and halibut fishing. He did some gold panning with Bob Elliott. He never said if they found anything! He was like a kid on an adventure. He bought a four wheeler and got to go more, but even that was difficult. Buster loved to tease the waitress’s and they enjoyed his big smile and that beautiful white hair. There were very few places if any that he entered that he didn’t start a conversation with whoever was there. He always enjoyed getting together with Carolyn’s family at Max & Lois Orr’s to listen to the music that Terry (Allbee) would play. It was always a fun time and good conversation with Jerry and Maxine and their families. Buster leaves behind a family that loved him. His son, Pat, and wife Carolyn (more like another daughter), their children Roxanne and husband Drew Laughlin, their children Sterling and Kendall; Jason and his wife Brynne and their daughter Jayden; Brandy who passed away in January 2010, her children Collin, Arianna, and Jared. His daughter Mary and her children Jessica and husband Aaron Snell, their children Mariah and Kaylee and her son Jeremy. His daughter Roberta and children, Annie Naccarato and her children Allison, Erik and Reed; Amie and husband Steven Stewart; Angie and husband Aaron Porter and their children Nathan, Brynne and Josie. His sisters Esther Knudsen, and Norma and husband Cecil Wylie. Cecil was Buster’s life line and source of strength, the brother he would have picked if he could. Cecil and Norma’s children Karen, Sharon, Cathy, Janice, and Curt all held a special place in his life as did all of their children. Buster you will be missed. Rest well my friend. Road trips are pain free now! Funeral services will be conducted at 1:00pm, Tuesday, Nov. 29th; in the Sherman Knapp Funeral Chapel, Priest River, Idaho. Interment, with military honors, will be in the Evergreen Cemetery.