Ronald Knaus

Ronald Mallen Knaus passed away on March 18, 2023 in Alamo, California.

Ron was born in San Jose, California, grew up in Santa Clara and spent his childhood summers at Lake Tahoe. He attended Bellarmine College Preparatory School, UC Berkeley and San Jose State. He earned a PhD in Radiation Biology at Oregon State University. His career included teaching at the high school and junior college levels, the University of Texas at Arlington and culminated at the Nuclear Science Center at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.

After retirement from LSU, Ron and Nancy returned to California and settled in Nevada City where his family has a legacy which stretches back to the gold rush. There he enjoyed tending his tree farm and was active in Rotary and a member of Native Sons of the Golden West, E Clampus Vitus and the California Forest Landowners Association.

Ron met his beloved wife of 63 years, Nancy at Meeks Bay at Lake Tahoe following their senior year in high school. In addition to Nancy, he is survived by his two sons Chris Knaus (Margaret) of Walnut Creek, CA and Scott Knaus of Tahoe City, CA; five grandsons Benjamin of Visalia, CA (Brittany), Stephen of Livermore, CA, Kent of Dallas, Texas, Erol of Baton Rouge, LA (Hannah) and Tamer of New Orleans, LA; and one great-granddaughter, Lennon Mallen of Visalia, CA.

The family will hold a private interment service in Nevada City later this spring.