FRANCIS N. KNEPPER

LEYTEM, KNEPPER, WOLFE, RAUSCH, FRASHER, CONNOLLY, COYLE, GARDNER, PULS, MARGRETZ, NEVILLE, OYEN, KEARNEY, DODEN, MCDERMOTT

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 4/4/2003 at 07:56:52

Francis N. Knepper

Telegraph Herald - Sunday, March 23, 2003

CASCADE, Iowa - Francis N. Knepper, 85, of 511 5th Ave. SW, Cascade, died at 7:15 a.m. Friday, March 21, 2003, at Mercy Medical Center-Dubuque.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. Martin's Catholic Church, Cascade, with the Rev. Daniel Krapfl officiating and Deacon Joseph Hayes assisting. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Cascade. Friends may call from 2 to 9 p.m. today at Reiff Funeral Home, Cascade, where there will be a wake service at 4:30 p.m.

He was born on Jan. 27, 1918, in Cascade, son of Joseph and Mae (Leytem) Knepper. He married Laurabelle Wolfe on July 8, 1941, at St. Paul's Catholic Church, Worthington.

He received his education in the Richland country school in rural Cascade and the former St. Mary's School in Cascade.

He enjoyed farming in the rural Cascade area until retiring in 1995.

Francis loved being with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They brought him many joys and smiles. He also loved spending time with his many friends at the Sale Barn. He was an avid Cubs fan, when they were winning.

He was a member of St. Matthias Parish, Cascade, and its Altar and Rosary Society. He was a member of the Cascade Sportsman's Club for which he was former president/lifetime member. He served as director for the Rural Fire Truck Association and also served on the Board of Directors for the FMHA.

Surviving are his wife, Laurabelle Knepper, of Cascade; four children, Jean (Jerome) Rausch, Rich (Susan) Knepper, Jan (Terry) Frasher and Bob (Ginny) Knepper, all of Cascade; 14 grandchildren, Terry (Kris) Rausch, Brian (Charity) Rausch, Tammy (Tom) Connolly, Jason Rausch, Marty (Angie) Rausch, Brad Rausch (friend, Carrie), Todd (Lisa) Frasher, Kristy (Bob) Coyle, Randy (Joyce) Frasher, Ryan (Mandi) Frasher, Ben Frasher (fiancee, Shannon Kleitsch), Shelly (Glen) Gardner, Rob (Tracey) Knepper and Jeremy Knepper (friend, Andrea Erdmann); four stepgrandchildren, Stephen (Stephanie) Puls, Amy (Jason) Margretz, Marcy Puls and John Puls; 22 great-grandchildren; and brothers and sisters, Josephine Neville, of Anamosa, Monica Oyen, of Phoenix, Marian (Donald) Kearney, of Key West, Cyril (Maureen) Knepper, of Marion, Odelia (Vernon) Doden, of Monticello, and Norbert (MaryLou) Knepper, of Toddville.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a granddaughter, Jill Rausch; two brothers, Arnold Knepper and Ambrose "Sam" Knepper; a sister, Hilda McDermott; a sister-in-law, Harriet Knepper; and two brothers-in-law, Henry Neville and LeRoy McDermott.

A Francis N. Knepper Memorial Fund has been established.

The family would like to thank Mercy Medical Center, the doctors, nurses and staff for all the care extended to Francis during his illness.