Tom R. Knops

After a short battle with cancer, Tom Roger Knops died on March 19, 2016, at home surrounded by his family.  

Tom was born on October 8, 1941, to Edward and Gertrude (Wolf) Knops in a little house on Elm Street in Glenwood City, Wisconsin.  He was welcomed into the family by his older brother, Eddie, who named him after his two best friends at school.

In the summer of 1942, Tom’s Dad and Uncle Francis Knops moved to San Francisco, California, to work in the shipyards during World War II.  After six months Tom’s mother rented their house to the Russell Thorsen family.  She packed up the two boys and took the train on a three day trip to California to reunite the family with her husband.  She characterized this trip as an adventure of a life time.  She stated she couldn’t have done it without the assistance  of fellow traveling mothers who helped with baby Tom and some nice soldiers who entertained Eddie.  

The family stayed in California until 1944. They returned to Wisconsin and lived with Tom’s grandmother Wolf in New Richmond until they purchased their house on East First Street.

Tom attended school in New Richmond and graduated in 1959.  

He enlisted in the United States Navy in December 1959 and went to Basic Training in  San Diego, California.  He attended electronics school in San Francisco and Rhode Island.

Tom served on the ship USS Catamount from 1960 until 1963.  It was a LSD-17 left over from World War II.  It had a flat bottom which made for a rough ride during storms at sea. His ship stopped at many ports of call including Okinawa, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Kobe, Japan.  He was also involved in transporting supplies to Saigon before the Viet Nam War started.

In September 1963, Tom was chosen to winter over in Antarctica. His assignment was to maintain the mobile radios on the construction vehicles. He had many stories from his time there.  These included constructing towers from empty beer cans, eating steak twice a day and surviving temperatures reaching 66 degrees below zero.

Tom was honorably discharged in October 1964.  He worked at Fabritec in Amery, fixed railroad ties along the tracks near Highway 64 and loaded trucks at the John Wood Company in St. Paul.  He joined Doughboy Packing in New Richmond in 1971 and worked there 32 years until his car accident in April 2003 which forced him to retire.

He bought his first motorcycle, a BSA, in 1967.  He started riding a Harley Davidson in 1969 and enjoyed many fun and beer filled trips with his cycle buddies.

In 1969 he met the love of his life, Mary Ann Maes, on a cycle trip to Wisconsin Dells.  The couple had many exciting and safe trips on that Harley.  

Tom and Mary Ann were married on May 2, 1970 at St. John’s Catholic Church in Glenwood City, Wisconsin.  They were blessed with two sons, Chaney and Joshua.  They lived in a mobile home in Roberts, Wisconsin, and Dean’s Court in New Richmond, Wisconsin.  In April 1978 they moved to their present home in Clayton, Wisconsin.  

Tom loved taking the family hunting, fishing, and camping at the deer shack in Minong, Wisconsin. There were many memorable times spent there with the Fouks, the Rudds, the DeTars,  the Steeles, the Vetters , the Johnsons and their families.

Tom enjoyed bow and gun deer hunting his whole life.  Even when he was sick in the fall of 2015, he went hunting.

He could fix any car, truck or motorcycle.  He also enjoyed working in his garden, caring for the lawn and cutting wood.  But most of all, he loved taking care of his grandchildren, listening to their concerts and watching sporting events.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents; nieces, Melody Murphy and Cindy Harper; and brother-in-law, Jerry Maes.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann; son, Chaney, and his fiance, Kim Ricke; son, Joshua, and his wife, Cathy; cherished grandchildren, Thomas, Tim, Joe, Ashley, Alex, Gavin, Bryce Knops, Hannah and William Ricke; brother and spouse, Eddie and Vivian Knops; Guardian Angel, Kitzie Zacharias; nieces; nephews; many relatives; and friends.

The family would like to thank nurse Gail at the New Richmond Cancer Center and nurse Diane from Adoray Hospice in Baldwin for their loving and compassionate care of Tom during  his last days.

Memorial Services 10:30 AM,  Saturday,  April 2, 2016 at St. John’s Catholic Church in  
Clear  Lake, WI,  with Military Honors by the Clear Lake Area Veterans Honor Guard

Visitation  is Friday, April 1, 2016  from  5 - 8 PM at the Scheuermann Funeral Home of Clear Lake, WI and at the church one hour before the service.

Burial will be at the West Clayton Cemetery.
  
www.clearlakefuneralhome.com

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