Kenneth James Knowles

Kenneth James Knowles, beloved husband of 59 years to Rita Joan (Mulligan) passed away on November 1, 2015 after a long battle with cancer. Born March 17, 1933 to Leonard H. and Edna May (Walker) Knowles. Ken grew up in the Pacific Northwest where he excelled in school, earned the rank of Eagle Scout and developed a lifelong love of the great outdoors. He enjoyed fishing, camping, boating, horseback riding, snow and water skiing. He graduated from the US military Academy at West Point and served over 21 years as an Army officer, including a tour in Vietnam. Assigned to Redstone Arsenal in 1972, he retired from the Army in 1978, earned a Master's degree at UAH and spent many years in the defense project management community working on various projects. Devoted to his faith and family, he was an active volunteer over his 43 years in Huntsville with CASA, Marriage Encounter, St. Vincent de Paul, the Interfaith Mission Service and numerous church ministries and local charities. He is survived by his wife, Rita; sister, Terri Rider; five children; Daniel, Michael, Brian, Susan Stitzel and Sheila Wood; eleven grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. A funeral mass will be held on Saturday, November 7, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church at 1:00 pm followed by a reception in the Parish Hall. A private family interment at Valhalla Memorial Gardens will be held afterwards. In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made in Ken's memory to either the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, 625 Airport Rd., Huntsville, AL 35802 or to the Tristate Veterans Community Alliance, 35805 Edwards St., Suite 500, Cincinnati, OH, 45209.