Dale Andrew Knopsnider

A Life Lived with Thoughtfulness, Kindness, and Love

Dale Knopsnider brought a thoughtful love, kindness, and understanding to every room he entered. He wasn’t the loudest person in the room, but he was always the one paying the most attention.

For many years, Dale served as an accountant for Checker Cab, bringing the same quiet diligence to his work that he gave to everything in his life. He was also an active member of the Franklin Marching Band Boosters for eleven years, a softball coach, and a Boy Scout leader — building pinewood derby cars and launching model rockets with his children along the way. He attended countless events for his children throughout their lives, and over his 75 years found many passions of his own — gardening, weightlifting, playing guitar, and bass fishing among them. When he retired in 2020, he added one more: traveling the world through YouTube, exploring places he had always longed to see and discovering new ones along the way.

Dale had an almost endless depth of knowledge that spanned a remarkable range — world events, mathematics, science, art, chemistry, and a mind full of random facts that could surprise you at any turn. He had a particular love for chemistry and a rare ability to turn his knowledge into action, capable of fixing or building almost anything he set his hands to. He took great pride in staying connected and informed, and he was a constant teacher, always sharing what he knew so that others would walk away a little better for it — but nowhere did that love of teaching shine more brightly than with his grandchildren.

Asher and Felix were among his greatest joys. He attended their school events, worked through science kits with them, built countless Lego sets by their side, and showed up to cheer at Robotics competitions. He wanted nothing more than to pass on what he had learned over a lifetime — but more than that, he wanted to learn about their world too, meeting them with the same curiosity and openness he brought to everything.

Dale enjoyed finding the perfect gift for family and friends on any occasion he could use as an excuse to brighten someone’s day. At Christmas, he took special care with his children’s stockings — individually wrapping each item, whether it was a single tube of ChapStick, a pair of nail clippers, or a pack of Disney princess band aids. His gifts were always practical and fun, and he made sure each child had a small toy picked just for them, something they could tuck in their pocket and carry with them. It was never about the size of the gift. It was about the thought behind it, and Dale always thought of everyone.

He was always at the ready with a joke, and he lived his life embracing the need for laughter and sharing it with as many people as he could. And when Dale laughed, you knew it — a deep, belly laugh that was as charming as it was comforting, the kind you could pick out from across a room without ever needing to see his face. Over the last three years, he attended Go Comedy for improv classes and performed many times on stage with his improv group. He was well loved by his fellow comedians and had found a place where he could simply be himself.

No other person could have been a better match for Barbara than Dale. Where her love was loud and outgoing, his was earnest and quietly devoted — always meeting people where they were, without judgment, and never asking anyone to be more than they were. For many years he was her sole caregiver, a role he took on without complaint and without recognition, because to Dale, that was simply what love looked like. Together, Barb and Dale were something rare — a partnership where two very different kinds of love made each other whole.

Throughout his life, Dale showed us that sometimes the ones who love the most are the ones who do it quietly, from behind the scenes — through intentional actions, unwavering patience, and a rare ability to accept people exactly as they are, even at their worst. He was steady. He was reliable. He was strong in his sense of duty, and steadfast in his love.

He was the loving husband of Barbara Knopsnider and proud father of Jason (Erin), Sara, and Matthew (Allison).

Dale Knopsnider was an indomitable spirit who will be deeply missed — his memory a gift to all who had the privilege of knowing him.

A Memorial Visitation will be held at the Harry J. Will Funeral Home, located at 37000 W Six Mile Road, Livonia, MI 48152, on March 1, 2026, from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Memory Sharing will take place at the same venue on March 1, 2026, from 7:00 pm to 7:30 pm.

The Memorial In State will be held at St. Colette Catholic Church, 17600 Newburgh Rd, Livonia, MI 48152, on March 2, 2026, from 10:30 am to 11:00 am, followed by the Memorial Mass at 11:00 am.