Fletcher Wilson Knotts 1898-1974

KNOTTS, BENNETT, JOHNSON, CONE, KOOSER, WOODWARD, MURPHY

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 12/8/2011 at 23:28:36

Knotts Service Are Held Today
Estherville – Fletcher W. Knotts, 75, Estherville, died at 1:35 p.m. August 10 at the Holy Family Hospital.

He was born Dec. 14, 1898 in Indiana, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Alva Knotts [Per newspaper bio and census records, parents were Rev. William H. Knotts and Anna Murphy Knotts]. He was educated at Howard Lake, Minn. and Perry, Iowa.

Preceded in death by his first wife [Eva M. Bennett], he married Leila Cone Johnson Dec. 21, 1970 at Estherville. Mr. Knotts was a linotype operator for the Fairmont Sentinel for 26 years. He came to Estherville in 1945 and worked for the Daily News until he retired in 1969.

He was a member of the Calvary Baptist Church and a veteran of World War I.

Survivors include his wife, Leila, of Estherville; three daughters, Mrs. Philip (Esther) Kooser, and Elda Knotts, Yakima, Wash.; Mrs. John (Marilyn) Woodward, Waukee; one step son, the Rev. Gerald Johnson, Joliet, Ill.; two brothers, Howard Knotts, Litchfield, Minn. and Merrill Knotts, Chicago, Ill.; and seven grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and first wife.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. August 12 at the Calvary Baptist Church with the Rev. G.O. St. Lawrence officiating. Burial was at the Eastside Cemetery.

Pallbearers were Thomas Nelsen, Charles Baker, Freddy Fitzgerald, Virgil Friesner, McKliney Beaver, and Roy Wilhelms. The Reese-Henry Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, August 12, 1974)