Daniel Knowlton

1957 - 2025

Daniel Charles Knowlton, age 68, passed away peacefully on October 24, 2025, in the care of hospice, at Kent Hospital, Warwick, RI. Dan was raised in Bristol, but lived in East Greenwich, RI for many years. He waged a private battle with Crohn's disease for most of his adult life with recent complications. In the care of an exceptional staff, he spent the past two years at the Riverview Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center in Coventry, RI.



Born on February 24, 1957, to the late Lavina (Fales) and Daniel Gibson Knowlton, of Bristol, Dan grew up with his sister, Jean, and attended Rockwell Elementary School.



His boyhood years were filled with opportunities for biking, swimming, boating, digging for clams at the Highland's beach, and skating on Gibson Pond. His family spent Sunday afternoons ice skating at Brown University's Meehan Auditorium hockey rink, in the 1960's, and the highlight for Dan was watching the zamboni machine. Dan had interest in all things mechanical and in a few years, he was driving the Farmall tractor, working on engines, and helping his Dad with outdoor projects.



At Bristol High School, Dan gravitated to a special shop program in home construction where his interest in the electrical trades developed. After graduation in 1976, he attended CCRI, the New England Technical Institute and later, courses in computer programming. He sure loved those early computer games.



Working for a private security company, and then more experience in alarm dispatching, led Dan to several years as a Service Technician and Installer with Wells Fargo Alarm Services. He eventually left the security field, in the 1980's, taking a position as a Technical Support Rep for an IT company, but was unfortunately side-lined when he required multiple surgeries due to Crohn's disease, and a lengthy recovery.

During these years, Dan was proud to become a lifetime member of the Bristol Volunteer Fire Dept at Defiance Hose Co. No. 1. He was inspired by his great uncle, Charles "Maj" Fales who had been a "first driver" of the 1926 Brockway pumper truck for the Defiance Co.



In the 1990's, Dan took a position at GTech (now IGT) and he moved to East Greenwich, RI. He enjoyed working in manufacturing logistics for lottery machines,

was a valued employee, and took early retirement in 2017 when GTech moved its manufacturing out of RI.



Dan was a quiet, unassuming man, with a good sense of humor, generous and helpful. As his parents aged, he spent many weekends in Bristol, taking them out for brunch and helping them to stay in their home as long as possible. He enjoyed reading, was a student of World War I and II, and a fan of the History Channel. His travels took him as far as Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and Bermuda, with many trips out west and to visit family in Michigan.



He is survived by his sister, Jean Knowlton Hickel and husband, Steve, of Lowell, Michigan, his niece, Bonnie (Barry) VanVolkinburg, their children Luisa and Lars, of Ada, MI, his niece, Melodie (Ben) Keizer, their girls, Zoey and Nataleigh, and son, Gibson, of Caledonia, MI, and his nephew, Andrew Hickel, of Holland, MI.

He is also survived by his Bristol cousins, Frank (Jenna) Fales, Donald (Peggy) Fales, and Marion Tinkham, of NC. Also, his cousins, Curtis (Paige) Jordan, of FL, Josephine Piccioli of CA, and Charlotte Parmer of GA.



Arrangements are with Family's Choice Cremation, 8 Schoolhouse Rd, Warren, RI, 02885. Per Dan's wishes, a graveside service is planned for the spring at Juniper Hill Cemetery in Bristol, RI. The date to be published in 2026.



Instead of flowers, please consider a donation in Dan's name made to: The Fireman's Memorial and Welfare Committee, 4 Annawamscutt Dr, Bristol, RI 02809. For directions or tributes, please visit:www.familyschoicecremation.com.