Richard Paul Knauer

The eldest son of a big, combined family, Richard Paul Knauer was born on September 4, 1944 in Austin, Minnesota. At the age of eight he moved to Albert Lea, Minnesota and in 1962, graduated from the local high school and entered Mankato State College, now part of the University of Minnesota. He earned a B.A. Degree there and in 1974 was awarded a Juris Doctor Degree from William Mitchell College of Law fulfilling a life-long goal. At the early age of fifteen he had written that he wanted to become an Attorney. He worked in Law and later at the University of Minnesota Hospital System in St. Paul.

Retiring to Arizona in 2001, Rick, as everyone called him, became passionately involved with a local little theater group called Playcrafters. He also portrayed Santa Claus every Christmas for residents at the mobile home park where he lived. He did volunteer work at that park and at his Church where he joined the Knights of Columbus.

Always intellectually curious, Rick had many hobbies; investigating History, attending reenactments and exercising an abiding passion for Native American culture. He collected photography, reveled in traveling and thoroughly enjoyed small town celebrations and family gatherings. He loved meeting new people and to his everlasting credit, those new people always loved meeting him; a person they never forgot and he never forgot them. He had a remarkable memory, a dazzling smile and the best laugh you may ever have heard. Rick was unique...and precious to anyone who met and knew him.

Richard Paul Knauer died on the morning of Palm Sunday, 2013. He was 68.