Joseph "Jody" Daniel Knaver

Joseph Daniel “Jody” Knaver, age 76, of Portage Indiana passed away unexpectedly on April 10, 2023, one day before his 77th birthday.

He is survived by two nieces, Alexandria “Sandy” Prichard and Michele Saulsgiver (Keith); “Knaver first cousins”:  Steve Solyom (Jenny), of Hurricane, UT; Elizabeth Keilman of Crown Point, IN; Sherry Heiss (John) of Vienna, VA; Christine Moskal (Marion) of Goodyear, AZ; Jim Knaver of Paradise, CA; Danny Knaver (Anna) of Crown Point, IN; Patricia Hoskins (Dave) of El Dorado Hills, CA; Anne Cunningham (Dave) of Elk Grove, CA;  Jo Ann Collins (Bob) of Valparaiso, IN; Laura Sobek (Drew) of Dyer, IN.  “Fabian first cousins”:  Daniel Fabian (Marcia) of Park Ridge, IL; Kathleen Fabian Seremet of Brighton, MI; Joseph Fabian (Elsa) of Highland, IN; Mary Kay Jaekel (Thomas) of Lake Forest, IL; Martin Fabian (Katherine) of Dadeville, AL; Thomas Fabian (Lynn) of Watertown, MA; numerous great nieces and great nephews.

Joe is preceded in death by his parents Alexander and Elizabeth Knaver, two brothers Alexander “Bundy” and Richard Knaver, and one niece Patricia “Patsy” Ferguson.  

Joe was a graduate of St. Lawrence Seminary class of 1964 and studied at Calumet College of St. Joseph. He worked for 32 years as a Senior Lab Technician at the Amoco Research Center in Naperville, IL and retired in 1998. Joe enjoyed bowling, cooking Hungarian dishes, working on the Fabian and Knaver family trees, and loved to spend summers camping at the Indiana Dunes. Family and friends would come and share stories by the campfire. 

He spent most of his time, though, doing the Lord’s work at Holy Trinity Hungarian Church in East Chicago, IN -- the Church that his grandparents helped build -- and where Father Alphonse Skerl was the Pastor and Joe's close friend. Although his “official title” at Holy Trinity was “Finance Minister and Bulletin Editor,” he did so much more including being the Choir Director and Cantor, a member of the Parish Council, and handling all of the Church’s computer work. He worked tirelessly on the Church’s annual fundraisers—bartending at the Hungarian Picnics, and helping to make sausage, stuffed cabbage, and noodles. Joe was a member of the Hungarian American Citizens Club.

After the closing of Holy Trinity in October 2016, Joe found a home at Our Lady of Sorrows Church. He loved to sing and joined both the Church Choir and Divine Mercy Choir, as well as being a Cantor.

Joe was a very giving person who spent his time helping others. His smile was genuine, and he truly enjoyed other people’s company. He was a strong and amazing man. He had no trouble telling others what he thought about any subject.  His sense of humor could be contagious, or frowned upon, depending whom he was sharing it with. All of his family will share in the sadness of his passing, and our precious memories of him will stay with us always.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Our Lady of Sorrows Parish.

A Visitation will be held from 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM on Thursday, April 20, 2023, at Solan Pruzin Funeral Home, 14 Kennedy Ave., Schererville, IN. A prayer service will be held at 7:00PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, April 21, DIRECTLY at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, 356 W 700 N, Valparaiso, IN with Fr. Paul Quanz officiating.  Friends may visit with the family at the church from 10:30 AM until time of Mass. Burial will be private and take place at a later date at St. John/St. Joseph Cemetery in Hammond, IN.

For additional information, please contact www.Solanpruzinfuneralhome.com.