Kenneth Wesley Knowles

1930 - 2020

Kenneth Wesley Knowles
March 4, 1930 - December 8, 2020
Wichita, Kansas - died Tuesday, December 8, 2020, of lung cancer. He was surrounded by loved ones. He was the beloved husband of Winnie Linn Knowles, loving brother of Wanda Schulz, and awesome father of his children: Eric and Amy (Marshall). Kenneth was in his 90th year. He will be mourned by his son-in-law, Timothy Marshall; his grandchildren, Patrick and Moira (Marshall); his niece, four nephews and many friends. Kenneth was predeceased by his parents, James David Knowles and Lena May (Goodman); sisters, Juanita (Spidall) and her husband, Lavoun, Eileen (Ingrim) and husband, Pete, and his nephew, Rick Ingrim. Born on March 4, 1930, in Wichita, Kenneth exhibited such a bright and cheery personality that his mother nicknamed him "Sunny". To the end, he was "Uncle Sunny" to his niece and nephews. Seeing his friends join up and also wanting to serve, Kenneth enlisted in the US Army in 1946 at the age of 15. He spent one year in Germany during the Occupation after World War II. He earned the WWII Victory Medal and the WWII Army Occupation Medal with Clasp. He was placed on inactive service in 1949 after returning to Fort Riley. After a blind date and a whirlwind courtship, Kenneth married Winnie Linn, the love of his life, on October 4, 1950. They celebrated 70 years of marriage this year. Kenneth was called back to active service in October 1950. Sgt. Knowles was attached to the IX Corps Artillery, 92nd Armored Field Artillery, A Battery "Red Devils" as a Forward Observer. He arrived in Korea on 31 December 1950, and went on line 3 January 1951. He earned three Presidential Unit Citations, three Bronze Battle Stars, and the Korean Service Medal. The Citation for the Battle of Kapyong, when the allied forces were overrun by a rear attack of 2,000 enemy forces, was presented by Brigadier General Mark T. Kimmitt at a reunion of the Red Devils in 2002. He said: "There is no doubt that on 24 April 1951, the 92nd Armored Field Artillery Battalion acquitted itself with great honor … With each man accepting his share of duty the 92nd Armored Field Artillery Battalion could not be made to panic … Front lines crumbled … infantry men poured back on the double, and artillery units were forced to withdraw … The 92nd, by contrast, moved back methodically, and batteries were registered as soon as they were laid … The artillerymen, tired and having little sleep for the previous 36 hours, went to work establishing their defensive perimeters … While everyone else panicked, the 92nd dug in … The next morning, when the enemy attacked, the 92nd was ready … Individuals responded with the initiative of free men who know discipline without tyranny. You are those men." After the war, Kenneth returned to Wichita and worked at Joyland as a maintenance mechanic. His love of fixing things took him into television repair and then to Westinghouse in Wichita. In 1971 Westinghouse transferred him to New York. Always looking for a challenge, Kenneth later started his own refrigeration, air conditioning, and microwave repair business – K & E Service. He fixed everything from compressors to the newest thing – "radar ranges." In 1988, Kenneth and Winnie moved to Hendersonville, North Carolina. While in North Carolina, Kenneth worked for Van Wingerden International Greenhouse Company in Mills River. His duties there included repairing and improving on all sorts of new inventions to increase efficiency dreamed up by the owner, with whom he shared a tinkerer's special rapport. His coworkers admired and adored him. Kenneth finally retired in 2012 at the age of 82. In 2018, Kenneth and Winne returned home to Wichita. Kenneth was a good and kind man. He genuinely loved people and was always quick with a smile, and handshake, and a joke. He attended church at Mud Creek Baptist Church in Hendersonville, NC, and later at Country Acres Baptist Church in Wichita. A private family service will occur at a later date. Interment will be at Forest Park Cemetery in Anthony, Kansas, with military honors. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to either The Honor Flight Network's Blue Ridge Honor Flight (www.blueridgehonorflight.com) or at his Memorial Page at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (http://giftfunds.stjude.org/Kenneth_Knowles). Downing & Lahey Mortuary West. www.dlwichita.com