As a neighbor of Joes, we still have fond memories of him!!  He is still missed!  The Bartels

We still miss Pastor Joe!!  As a neighbor, we still speak fond memories of him in our neighborhood. He touched our hearts and will never leave us!!   The Bartels in Montesa

My brother Joe was a great brother and a great Christian. I miss him  a lot   He was a great servant of God

This year has gone by fast and so much has changed. We miss you, Dad and thankful for your time here on earth. 

Dad was calling around looking for a vaccine weeks before Thanksgiving last year. He contracted Covid shortly thereafter. Take precautions, get vaccinated. Love your neighbors, your family, and even those that you do not know. I am thankful that other parents and family members will be spared from this illness now that some protection is available. Dad would have wanted it that way too. My heart is broken. This day and page is about him.  
I hope we can all learn from his experience. He loved his family.

it was a year ago today that we lost dad still miss him every day but today is especially tough.
keep the ones you love close tell them you love them you never know when they'll be gone.
get vaccinated wear a mask Papa Joe wore his mask everywhere except the one time he didn't at church and that was when he got sick.
he was eager to get vaccinated called CVS every week because he knew it wasn't about just him but about the people he loved. he knew jesus's commandment was to love others as you love yourself something we could all use today.
love you Dad

Joe  was always known as my older brother, we grew up very close together. I will miss him but I know he is in heaven ,  Joe pastored many churches,, I was able to go to many of his churches and do the music.  Joe  I miss you    Harold Knowles

Rev Knowles was an instrument in showing me the way to Christ, at age 19.  He prayed with me, shared God's Word with me; as did Dixie.  It was the best decision I've ever made.  He also, officiated my wedding in 1969.  I know the Lord was pleased in the number of people he lead to Christ.  So, blessed to have known this beautiful couple.  My sincere condolences and prayers for the Knowles family.  Janet Mohler


He was a True Man of God. Praying for the Montesa Community during the COVID 19 Plague. Now He is in Gods Hands. I wish I had known him better. Thank God for men like him!

There are so very many memories we have about Joe. They are all wonderful!!! We lived across the street from him. He shared “Our Daily Bread “ with us.  I loved them. He showed me his prayer closet???  He brought goodies to us on a regular basis and vice versa.  On pot luck night we sat at the table together  and at Bingo we sat together many times.   We took him to dinner at The Red Lobster.     He would share concerns of neighbors if he saw something abnormal.  We loved watching him scoot around Montesa in his car!!😊. The memories are endless. He leaves a big hole in our life but we know he is happy and one day we will get to see him again!!

I just want to say that my brother Joe  was great brother,  he was a great Pastor  In the many Churches he pastored I was able to go there and sing and/or direct the music. Joe  you will be missed, Harold

Like many here I just loved Pastor Joe. So thankful I got to see him several times recently. 
He worked diligently for the Lord and I know there was rejoicing in heaven when he arrived. He knew his final destination and I’m so grateful /thankful I got to call him friend.  Blessings and peace to his precious family 🙏he was a light in this dark world. I know he will be missed. 
Deann Freeman 

You will be missed, Pastor Joe!  You always had a smile on your face (not in your pocket!), and you always had Jesus in your heart, and talking about Him was just an innate part of you.  I also remember how much you loved to sing, and how you were almost always humming or singing hymns.  I wonder if you and Donna (Smith) are continuing your mock-battle of hymns vs. praise songs, even now?!? Thank you for your servant's heart, and all you meant to me, and to my family.  
My heart goes out to all of Pastor Joe's family and friends, because I know you will all miss him.  May God hold each of you in His hand.

Pastor Joe always brought Jesus and along with Him, JOY!  We loved and appreciated his prayers, receiving and watching him share goodies with others and study of the Word of God.  He loved his Lord and we knew it for his love of people. And he loved Dixie, his wife in heaven where he is now! Farewell for now dear brother.  Rudy & Diane Villegas

Joe was our pastor at Lone Jack. He officiated at our wedding in 1968. He was a kind person. We are so sorry for your loss.

I’m so very sorry for your loss and I’m also sorry for Montesa’s loss. Pastor Joe was my next door neighbor and I wasn’t here very long before I fell in love with him. I told some of my friends that Pastor Joe was my “adopted dad”. He was so caring for all the neighbors! He always let me know if I had a package on my porch that I didn’t see right away. He would leave me notes saying, “I’m praying for you” and sometimes would leave me copies of the Daily Bread. When I came home from my summer break, he brought me a personal Marie Calendars pie as a welcome back gift. On Halloween, he dressed up as Elvis and walked down the street waving to all the neighbors. He was such a wonderful caring man and will be missed by all. RIP sweet dear Pastor Joe!

We didn't know Pastor Joe well since we've been in the community for a short while.  What I do know is that Pastor Joe always had a sweet smile and a kind word for everyone. When he offered a community prayer it was alway germaine and heartfelt.  He was a good man and we are blessed for the time we had with him.

      My wife (Jackie) and I considered ourselves blessed to call "Pastor Joe" a friend.  He was part of the Montesa potluck crew, played as a member of Tuesday night card group, and we often spent time with him at other activities.  So thankful he presided over Jackie's Celebration of Life, including our kids and grandkids like he'd known them all their lives.  He was such a gentle, caring man and he will be missed by many.  
     Sending prayers to the family.

I played cards many, many days at Montesa with Pastor Joe.  He loved to win but always was willing to help anyone learning the game.  Joe was well known for wearing his Jesus hats all over the community.  As needed he would pray for individuals in the community and often led prayers at gatherings.  There was a twinkle in his eye when he talked about Dixie or his life as a pastor.  He would bring in boxes of candy for every card player on Valentine’s Day.  Joe, you enriched our lives and will be sorely missed!

I always remember Dad sharing stories with me about when he would be at Church offices working and some family in desperate need would come by and ask for help. He would tell them to wait and he would be right back. He would then go to the store and buy groceries for the family and bring them back to the family.  He not only preached about Jesus, but would follow it up with action for those in need. He was my little league coach one year and I will always remember that. I also remember him  going to Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco with us one year. He laid out in the field listening with us and we all had a wonderful day. I think that may have inspired his short lived beard growth. I love him and will miss him much. Give Mom a hug for us.

Dad was a St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan for many before 1998 when Arizona received the MLB franchise and from then on he became a diehard Arizona Diamondbacks fan.
One of the greatest memories I have is being able to go with him to 'have a catch' on the Diamondbacks Chase field on Father's Day June 17 2018

It was before they removed the real grass, and only about a half hour or so, but  he and I and my wife Martha and our grandson Isaac had a great time on the field and got to meet 'the beard' Archie Bradley.

thanks Dad

OBITUARY

Joseph Purcell Knowles Jr.

September 30, 1935 – December 3, 2020

Sunland Memorial Park, Mortuary & Cremation Center

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