James Richard Knose

In Loving Memory of James Knose

The consistent themes in the life of Jim Knose were resilience, steadfastness, and tenacity. Jim was born on August 14, 1928. He was the youngest child in a family of 9 children, raised by his mother Emma. He lost his father at a very early age, so he became particularly close to his eldest brother Ira, who served as a father figure for him. He came of age in the setting of World War II and an economic depression; he never forgot his roots and passionately supported political candidates and legislation that provided relief to people in need. His service as a Marine in his youth was a central part of his being, and he took great pride in this. While in the Marines, he was stationed at Quantico where he marched in Harry Truman's inaugural parade and was also stationed in Trinidad. He proudly displayed a “US Marine Corps” plaque on the exterior of his home in his advanced years.

He had many passions and interests he cultivated in his life. He was an avid golfer and sports fanatic. He followed and cheered for his favorite teams: Indianapolis Colts, Indiana Pacers, Indiana University, and Cincinnati Reds. He and his wife Norma enjoyed Indianapolis Symphony performances regularly. He was well read and particularly enjoyed World War II themed history books and programs. He enjoyed travelling to areas of natural beauty and visited many of the country’s national parks. He was finally able to explore Alaska (Denali and Kenai Fjords National Parks) with his daughters in 2021 at the age of 93!

He was a brilliant man who had an incredible memory and recall of facts, details, maps, and directions. No one could seriously compete against him in Trivial Pursuit-like games! He maintained a keen interest in current events for the entirety of his life. Jim had a wide circle of friends cultivated during his youth and during his career in management at Union Carbide that he loved to visit and dine out with. He treasured spending time with his family and grandchildren.

Jim’s overarching passion was creating things with his hands. He loved woodworking and had an entire garage full of vintage power tools for just the right job. He actively pursued home renovation and construction until it was no longer possible. He constructed a beautiful wooden backyard playground for his grandchildren. As a child of the Great Depression, he would not allow any waste of metal materials. If a nail was inadvertently bent during insertion, it was removed, straightened, and reinserted. This passion for all things construction led him to declare in his later years, “I hope wherever I go when I pass, there will be a Menard’s store.”

He was a physically and emotionally resilient man who overcame the economic adversity of his youth, provided stability to his family during his wife’s illnesses, and overcame numerous health challenges of his own, particularly in his later years. He operated snow blowers and power lawn tools well into his 90s, as he took great pride in maintaining his home. He craved autonomy and strove to find activities that gave him meaning and purpose as his illness progressed. He was certainly the living embodiment of “The Greatest Generation.”

Surviving Jim are his children Susan Knose, Julie Simmons, and Linda (Chris) Morris, and his grandchildren Claire (Dylan) Ellis, Rachael (Chris) Dillard, and Sophie Morris.

A celebration of life gathering for Jim will take place Saturday, February 28, 2026, from 1:00-3:00pm at Flanner Buchanan Washington Park East Funeral Home, 10722 E. Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN 46229.