Richard Knotts

Richard P. Knotts, 68, a former resident of rural Churubusco in Allen County and more recently a resident of Harlan, was surrounded by his loving family when he left for Heaven on Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 11:24 a. m. at his residence. He had been valiantly fighting cancer since November. Mr. Knotts was born on November 26, 1939 in Wabash, a son of Ralph and Dorothy (Black) Knotts. He spent his formative years there and graduated from Wabash High School in 1958. As a young man he served in Germany with the U. S. Army, and was married in Wabash on November 21, 1965 to Jeannine Durnbaugh. The couple moved to Allen County in 1966, and lived in Eel River Township near Churubusco for 20 years. Following his retirement, they lived in Florida for a period before returning to Allen County and moving to Harlan in 2004. He was employed at CSR Masolite in For Wayne for over 37 years, retired as their sales manager of the concrete block division in 2004, and was well-known by architects throughout northeast Indiana for his knowledge of concrete masonry products. A member of the Churubusco United Methodist Church, he was a member of the National Concrete Masonry Association, was past president of Indiana Concrete Masonry Association, past treasurer of the Fort Wayne Chapter of Concrete Specifier Institute, and was a member of the program committee of the Building Contractor's Association. He was also a former member of the Fort Wayne Southside Optimist Club. After returning to Indiana, he owned and operated Rich's Rides, a transportation service for the Amish community. A lover of bird watching and all of nature, he enjoyed golf, had a wonderful sense of humor, and never met a stranger. Most importantly, he was a loving and supportive husband and father. The surviving relatives include his wife Jeannine; his daughters Molly Rennaker of Harlan, and Meegan (Mark) Siegwarth and Dinah (Michael) Keeterle, both of Fort Wayne; a brother Michael (Lindal) Knotts of Clermont, Fla; a sister Sandra Black Haneline of Indianapolis; three grandchildren Donovan Rennaker, Lauren Siegwarth, and Ryan Siegwarth; and two step-grandchildren Shane Keeterle and Sarah Keeterle. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister Phyllis Lombard. Funeral services will be held at 11 a. m. on Wednesday, March 12, at the Churubusco United Methodist Church with Pastors Christine Newman-Jacobs and Lamar Imes, officiating. The family will receive friends at the Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco on Tuesday from 2 to 8 p. m., or at the church one hour prior to the service. For those who wish, memorials may be directed to Churubusco United Methodist Church, 750 N. Main Street, Churubusco, IN 46723; or to Visiting Nurse & Hospice Home, 5910 Homestead Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46804 ******************************** To leave a condolence for Mr. Knott's family, please click on "Condolences" below. . .