Jill Ann Bang-Knudsen

Jill Bang-Knudsen

(January 20, 1942 Tillamook, Oregon -September 5, 2020 Bainbridge Island, Washington)

Daughter of John William Morrison and Marjorie Chloe Bayless dairy farmers in Tillamook, Oregon.
Married Peter Bang-Knudsen August 16 1964 in Ashland, Oregon. Mother of Peter Bang-Knudsen Jr, Paul A. Bang-Knudsen, Jacob J. Bang-Knudsen.
Jill graduated from Talent High School, Talent, Oregon where she was Student Body President. She attended Southern Oregon College in Ashland, Oregon and University of Oregon where she was a
cheer leader and met her Husband Peter.

She was employed by Steve Wilson Lumber Co. in Medford, Oregon and later at an insurance company in San Francisco. In August 1964 she married Peter Bang-Knudsen in Ashland, Oregon while he was an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Jill served 5 years as a Marine Officer’s wife in 29 Palms, California where their first son Peter, Jr. was born at the Naval Hospital. They moved to Portland and returned to civilian life in Portland, Oregon where she and Peter started their own business. Then moved to Redondo Beach, California where their second son Paul was born. Four years later they relocated to Danville, California and continued building their business: Bang-Knudsen, Inc. In 1978 a final move north to Bainbridge Island, Washington and opened a new Seattle office while also birthing their third son Jacob.

Raising three sons and 6 grandchildren and living in Bainbridge Island together 42 years they enjoyed sailing in Puget Sound and skiing at Lake Tahoe. During those years Jill and Peter traveled to business meetings and trade shows in Europe, Asia, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, New Orleans, and Las Vegas. Annual winter trips to Kauai were enjoyed with family.
Starting in 1999 the couple began annual expedition cruises that included diving and hiking in several exotic destinations: Tahiti, Belize, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Australia, Tonga, Solomon Islands, South America, British Isles and the west coast of Europe.

While raising her family and working in the family business Jill continued her education at University of Washington. Jill enjoyed researching genealogy and traced her Morrison family history to Scotland in the 1700’s and her maternal history to the Oklahoma Land Rush. She was the caregiver to her mother-in-law Grethe Bang-Knudsen for over 12 years She was an avid reader, gardener and an accomplished cook of European and American specialty foods.


Jill is survived by husband Peter Bang-Knudsen Sr. Sons Peter In, Paul and Jacob and their spouses Erin, Melissa and grandchildren: Peter HI, William, Mathias, Hanne, Willa, and Mads. Her siblings who all visited in the week prior to passing: Don Morrison of Bainbridge Island, Lynn Wallis of Portland, Oregon, Thomas Morrison of England, John Morrison of Ashland, Oregon.

The services and interment for Jill will be private. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to the Bainbridge Schools Foundation 8489 Madison Avenue North Bainbridge Island, WA 98110.

Arrangements are entrusted to the Cook Family Funeral Home of Bainbridge Island, WA.