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After 34 years of that, the Central High School and UW-La Crosse graduate came back home for good.
And instead of working with the launches for shuttle projects, he enjoys the retired life and plenty of golf.
But Knudson is a 76-year-old man who likes a challenge, and that’s why he’ll be back in the field for Saturday’s La Crosse Tribune/Kwik Trip Senior County Amateur Golf Championship.
“I’m the oldest one, but I like to run with these guys,” Knudson said. “I can still hang with most of them.”
Knudson tied for fourth place in the second flight last year and won the third flight in 2006.
He’ll try to win for the second time in three years when he tees it up at Drugan’s Castle Mound Country Club in Holmen on Saturday.
To prepare, he’s been golfing two and sometimes three times each week. He shot an 87 at Forest Hills Golf Course as part of a league round on Thursday.
Knudson spent the last 22 years of his professional career on Nordvik, Holland working for the European Space Agency.
He was the head of logistics and pre-launch operations for the ESA when he retired in 1994.
Knudson stayed in Holland for another year until his wife, Yvonne, retired from her job as as a secretary in 1995, and returned to his hometown.
“I didn’t expect to end up working for something like (ESA) at all,” said Knudson, who played football and ran track at Central before graduating in 1950. “I worked at the Cape (Canaveral) for seven years and then out in California for six-and-a-half.
“I worked in Holland and was one of three Americans working there before Iretired in ’94.”
Knudson, whose wife has been his caddie since they were married 27 years ago, considers himself a bogey golfer. He said his average rounds range from 88 to 94.
“That came with age,” he said. “When you get older, the muscles in your back don’t move as easy as they did before, and your knees go.
“I’ve slowed down, but I’m still going.”
Todd Sommerfeldt can be reached at (608) 791-8208 or todd.sommerfeldt@lee.net
