Wayne Hans Knudsen

Wayne Hans Knudsen, 78, of Emporia, KS, died Sunday, May 6, 2018, at the Emporia Presbyterian Manor, Emporia.

Wayne was born on June 19, 1939, in Omaha, Nebraska, the son of Gunnar B. and Vivian Thompson Knudsen.  He married Charol Heim on August 20, 1960, but later divorced.  He then married Jana Doxon on June 16, 1984, in Ballwin, Missouri.  She survives.

Surviving family members include: wife, Jana Knudsen of Emporia; son, Kent (Ann) Knudsen of Omaha, NE; daughters, Kristin (Bruce) Eckhardt of Grand Island, NE, and Linda Knudsen (Bob Cavigli) of Gualala, CA; grandchildren Matthew Eckhardt, Jim Kinghorn, Jennifer (Ryan) Adams, Chelsea Eckhardt, Audrey Knudsen, and Jane Knudsen; mother-in-law, Venda Leigh Doxon of Emporia; brother-in-law, John (Betty) Anderson; sisters-in-law, Jo Ellen (Indy) Dambro of Emporia and Kristine Hampshire; nephews, Tom Anderson, Kurt Anderson, Kyle Anderson, Matt Anderson, Ben Anderson, John Doxon, and Ryan Dambro; nieces, Danielle Knudson, Megan Dambro, and Kate Monnig, and many great nephews and great nieces.

He is preceded in death by his parents, sister, Roberta Anderson, father-in-law, John E. Doxon, brother-in-law, Richard Doxon.

Wayne graduated from Blair High School, Blair, NE in 1957, and from Nebraska Weslyan University, Lincoln, NE, in 1962.  He worked briefly as a Pinkerton investigator, and later, at Equifax.   He then worked for thirty years as a Surety Bond Representative with Fidelity and Deposit of Maryland.  He retired in 1995.  He enjoyed golf, fishing, Big Red football, and Big 12 sports.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, May 12, 2018 at the First Congregational Church, Emporia.  Visitation will be from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Friday, May 11, 2018 at Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home, Emporia.  Burial will take place at 11:00 a.m. Monday, May 14, 2018, at the Graceland Park Cemetery in Omaha, NE.  Memorial contributions, suggested to the June Bug Foundation at Central Care Cancer Center, your favorite Veterans’ memorial, or the First Congregational Church, may be sent in care of the funeral home. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Wayne Hans Knudsen, please visit our flower store.