Donald Knudsen, retired member of the technical staff of Lucent Technologies (successor to AT&T’s Bell Laboratories), died Dec. 29, 2011. He was 74.
Knudsen graduated from Harvard in 1959 with a bachelor’s degree in physics. He was a research and teaching assistant at Princeton before receiving a master’s degree in physics in 1965. He then joined Bell Labs, retiring from its successor in 1999.
In a varied career, he worked on operating systems for, among others, anti-ballistic missiles, the interactive two-way television touch-screen system at AT&T’s pavilion at Epcot Center, and the electronic-messaging system at the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics. According to his colleagues, Knudsen was a consummate professional.
In Bernardsville, N.J., Knudsen was active in many community-service efforts. Notably, he served on the borough planning board for more than 21 years and was its chair from 1998 to 2001 and 2003 to 2007. In a formal resolution, the board stated: “He has been the borough’s memory in planning matters and his forward thinking is its link to the future.”
Knudsen is survived by Elizabeth, his wife of 45 years; two sons, David ’90 and Jonathan ’93; and four grandchildren.
Graduate memorials are prepared by the APGA.