Knud-Erik Jensen

Salt Lake City, Utah – Knud-Erik Jensen, 76, returned home on July 24th, 2021. He was born February 26, 1945 in Copenhagen, Denmark to Myrthla and Aage Jensen. Coming from a Viking heritage, he was named after Knud the Great and Erik the Good. Knud was a mommas boy but never really acted like a child and earned the nick name “Lilleman”, which means Little Man in Danish. That nick name stuck with him throughout his life.
Knud began working at a very early age. When he was just 8 years old, he went to work at the vegetable store below their apartment in Denmark stocking shelves and carrying groceries for people that needed help. He never lost that work ethic. Knud emigrated to America in April 1959 with his mom and two of his sisters. He attended South High School and during his senior year he quit school and joined the Army. He started his Army career driving tanks and was stationed in Baumholder, Germany. When he re-enlisted two years later he signed up for their electronics programs where he learned calibration and instrument maintenance. In 1966 he became part of the Material Command and was stationed on the US Naval ship Corpus Christi, a maintenance ship. He sailed to Hawaii and then on to Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam where he served on the ship for a year maintaining helicopters that were being transported to Vietnam. He received an honorable discharge in 1967.
After his time in the military he began working for Stabro Lab in Salt Lake City where he put his calibration training to work. He then contracted for RCA International Service Corporation in Cherry Hill, New Jersey and had an oversea office in Wiesbaden Germany. He also spent time in Iran and Turkey. During his second assignment in Iran he received a telegram that his dad was very sick. He came back to Salt Lake to take care of his mom and never left again. He later went to work for Western States Calibration where he retired in 2011.
Knud loved to volunteer and spent many years with the Salt Lake County Sherrif Reserve Corp where he became a Sargent in charge of the Corp. In 2009, he started driving the tour train at This Is the Place Heritage Park. He loved working at the park and wore many hats while there. He also was a pioneer, interpreter, participated in the different trades, and was Father Christmas for the holidays. Although according to Knud, “driving the train at the park was his true love.”
Knud liked doing things with his hands. He was always working on something. His hobbies included coin collecting, wood working, leather working, sewing, reel to reel music, photography, and he was a certified gunsmith. Knud did not like change, he was set in his ways. He went to Dee’s every Sunday, when the waitress would see him she would bring him his Pepsi and his usual, it never changed. He was one of the most mild mannered people around, but at the same time stubborn. He used to get his haircut and beard trimmed every other week. When his barber started requiring appointments he stopped getting haircuts. He had a unique sense of humor and found a lot of joy in simple things like giving out his “round” tuit coins. He will always be remembered for his bright eyes and boyish smile. Rest in peace Little Man.
He is survived by two sisters: Elisabeth (Bob) Morgan of Kearns, Utah and Sonja (Mike) King of Shavertown, Pennsylvania. A daughter that he found out about later on in life but never had a chance to meet; Kathleen (Kathy) Woodward, her children Kimberly Johnston, Ashley Krause, Amanda Woodward, Kristen Woodward, Braden Woodward and 4 great grandchildren. Also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who he considered family.
He was preceded in death by his Mom, Dad, twin brother and sister Kurt and Ingrid and his beloved dog Sal.
Funeral services will be held at This is the Place Heritage Park, at the Garden Place, on August 1, 2021 at 1:00pm. Viewing will be held prior to services 11:30-12:45. Interment will follow at Memorial Estates, 6500 South Redwood Road, West Jordan Utah 84123
The family would like to thank Jeremy Newman and his friends at the park for taking Knud-Erik on one last train ride.
Service Information
Viewing August 1, 2021 at 11:30 AM - 12:45 PM
This is the Place Heritage Park, 2601 Sunnyside Avenue South, Salt Lake City, UT 84108





Funeral Service
August 1, 2021 at 1:00 PM
This is the Place Heritage Park, 2601 Sunnyside Avenue South, Salt Lake City, UT 84108