Shrewsbury – John F. Knipe Sr., 90, lifelong Shrewsbury resident, passed away peacefully on the morning of Monday, September 20, 2021, surrounded by his devoted family.
He was predeceased by his beloved wife of 59 years and high school sweetheart, Marguerite C. (Stolpe) Knipe; their son, Steven P. Knipe; and his parents, John E. and Marie G. (Judson) Knipe.
John leaves his loving children, John F. Knipe, Jr. and his wife Cindy, of Shrewsbury; Cathi O’Toole, of Tampa, FL; Donna Rhaney and her husband Lorin, of Ruther Glen, VA; Robert Knipe, of Tampa, FL; Susan Kelley and her husband Steven, of Merrimack, NH; and Margie Hertz and her companion Ron Weaver, of Portland, OR; 15 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. He was also predeceased by his siblings, Edgar, Margie, June, Eleanor, and Betty.
Born, raised, and educated in Shrewsbury, John was a graduate of Major Howard W. Beal High School in 1949 before beginning his career in the Appliance Technician industry. He began working at Sears, and later went on to work for Worcester Radio and Speedometer, RCA, and finally retired from GE.
In his free time, John loved woodworking, fishing, home improvement projects, especially with his kids, camping, spending time at the beach (both at York and Myrtle Beach), and, of course, spending time with his family. He loved traveling the country with his wife Marge in the RV. John will forever be remembered by his family and friends for being a wonderful father and grandfather, a caring friend and, above all, a good man.
The family would like to thank the staff at Shrewsbury Nursing and Rehabilitation Center/Notre Dame Hospice for their compassionate care of their father during these last few weeks. They would like to especially thank Maudi and Rose for their tender love and care during his last days.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the First Congregational Church of Shrewsbury, 19 Church Road, Shrewsbury, MA 01545 (https://fccsm.org/)
Relatives and friends are invited to visit with the Knipe family between 9:30 and 10:30 AM on Thursday, September 23, 2021 at the First Congregational Church of Shrewsbury, 19 Church Road, followed by his funeral service at 11 AM. Masks are required at both the church and cemetery. Burial will be held at Mountain View Cemetery in Shrewsbury.
