David William Knauth, 77, of Bigfork, Montana passed away peacefully on
Monday, March 20, 2017 at Brendan House in Kalispell, Montana. He was born
on January 19, 1940 at Staten Island General Hospital, New York, N.Y. to
Gustave W. and Mary Agnes (Killeen )Knauth. Dave attended Staten Island
Academy, and graduated from Wagner College in 1962 with a degree in
Economics. He played baseball for Wagner College.
From 1962-68, Dave served in the United States Air Force. A
Navigator-Bombadier on B-52 Bombers, Dave received Air Medals, a National
Defense Service Medal and a Vietnam Service Medal. As a member of the
elite S-10, 38th Bomb wing crew, Dave Participated in the Strategic Air
Command Combat competition held at Fairchild Air Force Base. Forty crews
rated as superior performance combat aircrews on B52's and B58's competed in
October 1966; the S-10 crew from Ellsworth Air Force Base was awarded first
place. 1st lieutenant David Knauth served two tours of duty and was
stationed at Anderson Air Force Base on Guam during the Vietnam War. He
flew over 70 missions and was honorably discharged with the rank of Captain
in 1968.
Dave met Sharon Sue Alexander, while based at Ellsworth Air Force Base,
South Dakota. Sharon was a 4th grade teacher at the Douglas School System.
They married on February 11, 1967 . Dave and Sharon celebrated their 50th
Wedding Anniversary, with their family, this year.
After his military service, Dave worked as Personnel Manager of Loeb- Rhodes
Investment Banking at 40 Wall Street in New York City. He moved his family
to Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1975, where he began a career in
administration at Memorial Hospital. In 1980, Dave and his wife, Sharon
and sons, Gus and Hal moved to Butte, Montana where he worked as Human
Resources Director at St. James Hospital (Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth,
Kansas). After serving as COO, he left St. James in 1997. Dave and Sharon
moved to Bigfork, Montana where he had the opportunity to work for
Centurytel. Over the years, Dave became an expert in Labor Relations and
Management. Dave retired in 2004.
Dave was pro-active in state organizations and non-profits. He coached both
soccer and Little League Baseball, was President of United Way, and was
elected to the school board in Butte, Montana. He served as Elder of the
Presbyterian Church, and is a member of the Community United Methodist
Church in Bigfork.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Sharon, son Gus, his wife Meg, and
grandsons Ethan and Aidan Knauth, of Overland Park, Kansas; son David
(Hal), wife, Niki and granddaughters, Gracie and Emma Knauth of Bigfork,
Montana; his sister, Justine Landis of York, PA; sisters-in-law, Judith
Alexander Block, and Arlowyn Alexander Graham and many neices and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his sister Carol Jaeger, of Staten Island, in
2009.
Cremation has taken place with a memorial service planned for early July.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation be made to the Community
United Methodist Church, 750 Electric Avenue, Bigfork, MT 59911 or to a
charity of your choice. to send notes of condolences to the family please
visit
www.buffalohillfh.com
Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is caring for the
family.