Gaylen Melvin Knaack 1942-2013

KNAACK, EICHHORN, ROWLEY

Posted By: Connie Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 2/18/2013 at 12:49:10

November 13, 1942 - February 11, 2013

Gaylen Melvin Knaack went to be with his Lord in his sleep on February 11, 2013 at St. Elizabeth’s hospital in Lincoln, NE.

He was born November 13, 1942 in Cushing, Iowa to Melvin and Nora (Eichhorn) Knaack. He graduated from Correctionville High School in 1961 and joined the Air National Guard shortly thereafter. Following his studies in Kansas City, he opened a body shop business in Correctionville, Iowa, which he would proceed to grow and operate for more than 50 years. On September 8, 1967 he married Cheryl Dawn Rowley in Sioux City, Iowa. He was deployed to Korea for a year and a half with the Sioux City Guard. Following his return, he settled back into Correctionville and truly made it his home for many years to come.

Gaylen listened, he acted and he got it done. Those are the messages heard most frequently when referring to Correctionville’s resident, Gaylen Knaack. Many of us claimed him as our own, if anyone could, because he shared his home, his time, his expertise and his heart for 70 years not only in his hometown, but across the country and around the world.

Just about everyone who has ever walked the streets of Correctionville witnessed his energy, every-ready smile, can-do attitude, and probably saw his signature one pant leg tucked halfway in. If you caught him in the middle of a project requiring some concentration, you might have even seen him chewing his shirt collar- it must have helped because he seemed to get a lot more done than the rest of us.

He represented the best of an Iowan - generous, hard working and fun loving. He had a commitment to his core to give to others, to lighten the load others carry and look for the absolute best in everyone around him.

Gaylen was the foundation, support, and quiet, driving force for so many wonderful things over the years. For 50 years, his body shop and wrecker service kept a number of people out of trouble with their parents, UPS drivers back on the road, college students back to school (even when they couldn’t pay until they finished graduate school), ladies out of distress and many others back to driving. Often, getting the job done meant middle of the night trips to a snowy country road; coveralls overtop a suit before a wedding and wrecker service leg cast and all. No car left behind.

He enjoyed volunteering in a variety of ways over the years, serving as a Bank Board member for nearly 20 years, a school board member for nearly 10 years, a firefighter for nearly 10 years, several functions within his church, and served on the Iowa Collision Repair Association Board in recent years. Gaylen also invested in the local economy, working to nurture new businesses including the lumberyard, bus barn (now D & K Implement) and most recently, the new grocery store.

Gaylen may not have had the golf game he would have liked, but he loved the Correctionville golf course. He always wanted more trees planted and did several projects to make the course greener over the years. He also planted trees on the west side of the Correctionville High School in memory of his father.

He also enjoyed sponsoring the local t-ball, softball and baseball teams as well as purchasing tickets for local second graders to go to the Shrine Circus.

Gaylen had a knack (yes, that’s right) for all things engineered and built. Rare was the day when someone presented him a challenge that he couldn’t solve. He built a number of homes, reconstructed a Model T and engineered a boathouse and dock in Okoboji. These are all things that Gaylen could share with other people - one of his greatest joys in life.

Okoboji has been a home that Gaylen delighted in sharing with his kids, grandkids, their friends, his friends, and so many people he has met over the years. Many have spent a summer enjoying fishing, swimming, tubing, skiing, a good hamburger, and of course a nutty bar or Wells Blue Bunny Ice Cream at Arnold’s Park. Many have woken up to Gaylen’s early morning pancakes Lakeside. As much as Gaylen enjoyed the summers at the cabin, he equally enjoyed the winters in Okoboji at the Winter Games or snow skiing in Steamboat Colorado. Just this past winter, he kept up with those young grandkids on the slopes.

Gaylen was a pilot for nearly 50 years, originally finishing his ratings when he was part of the Air National Guard in Sioux City with the GI bill. This enabled him to share his love of flying with many people including the local nursing home staff, Representative Steve King on official trips, missionary flights in Africa and hundreds of others locally and abroad.

The waiting list for his woodworking projects grew every year, with some favorite completed projects including cradles for each family, grandfather clocks, dressers and a walnut table.

Gaylen touched many people throughout his life and unending work. He taught us that life is about people and experiences. And he walked with courage and kindness. Because he gave so much to so many of us, he received the greatest gift of all - the love of family, his friends and his community. May he rest in peace in our memories and the blue sky above us.

He is preceded in death by his parents Melvin and Nora Knaack; and brother-in-law, Steven Rowley.

Gaylen is survived by his wife, Cheryl, to whom he was married for 45 years; sons, Scott and wife Renee of Correctionville, IA and Brad and wife Kim of Correctionville, IA; daughter, Kristi and husband Matt Riordan of New York, NY; grandchildren, Jenna, Alycen, Taylor, Kaylee, Karter, Katherine, Abigail, John and Alexis; sister, Twila and husband Scott Kuklin of Simi Valley, CA; niece, April of Hutchinson, MN; nephew, Travis and wife Dena Rowley of Centennial, CO; mother-in-law, Donna Rowley of Sioux City, IA; and brother-in-law, Alan Rowley of Sioux City, Iowa.