Henry Knittel
November 5, 1919 – March 20, 2017
Henry “Hank” Knittel, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, son, brother and friend to more people than one can count — passed away on March 20, 2017. Hank was born November 5, 1919, in Astoria, Queens, N.Y., to Henry and Margaret Knittel. He married Victoria, the love of his life, three weeks after Pearl Harbor. They had been dating for several years before their engagement, and decided to get married before he was drafted and shipped off to war. Their engagement was just long enough to allow for the reading of three bans of marriage at their Catholic church.
They were surrounded by family when they celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary on January 5th, this year. Theirs was a long and happy marriage that was filled with family, friends, dancing, card games, golf, reading, travel, and lots of love and laughter.
Hank served in the U.S. Army’s 818th Engineer Battalion during World War II. He built airplane-landing strips in England before landing with his battalion on Omaha Beach on D-Day plus 10. He fought in the European theater of the war, and was honorably discharged on May 22, 1945.
Although Hank was one of the most easygoing and agreeable people you would ever meet, he absolutely refused to take his children camping. Three years of sleeping in tents during the war was, for him, enough camping for a lifetime.
He had a long and successful 35-year career with Chase Manhattan Bank in New York City where he started in the mailroom and retired as AVP of Pension Trust. He and Victoria raised their three children — Henry, Jr. (Bud), Jackie and Richard in Franklin Square, Long Island, N.Y. They then moved to Connecticut to be closer to children and grandchildren. They loved their years in Connecticut.
They moved to Sun City Center, Fla., in 1986 where they enjoyed a long and happy retirement. He was, perhaps, Chase’s oldest pensioner at 97 years old.
Hank was one of the kindest, wisest, most centered, and most joyful people you will ever meet. He was a wonderful, living example of how to live. His family will carry this example and these sweet memories with them for the rest of their lives. His memory is truly a blessing to them and to all of those whom he touched.
In addition to his wife, Victoria, Hank is survived by his three children, Bud (Kathy), Jackie (Chuck), and Richard, eight grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. A funeral mass and celebration of Hank’s life will be at noon Saturday, April 8, 2017 at Prince of Peace Catholic Church, Sun City Center, Fla. Private interment will be at Sarasota National Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Sun City Center Emergency Squad, 720 Ray Watson Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573
They were surrounded by family when they celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary on January 5th, this year. Theirs was a long and happy marriage that was filled with family, friends, dancing, card games, golf, reading, travel, and lots of love and laughter.
Hank served in the U.S. Army’s 818th Engineer Battalion during World War II. He built airplane-landing strips in England before landing with his battalion on Omaha Beach on D-Day plus 10. He fought in the European theater of the war, and was honorably discharged on May 22, 1945.
Although Hank was one of the most easygoing and agreeable people you would ever meet, he absolutely refused to take his children camping. Three years of sleeping in tents during the war was, for him, enough camping for a lifetime.
He had a long and successful 35-year career with Chase Manhattan Bank in New York City where he started in the mailroom and retired as AVP of Pension Trust. He and Victoria raised their three children — Henry, Jr. (Bud), Jackie and Richard in Franklin Square, Long Island, N.Y. They then moved to Connecticut to be closer to children and grandchildren. They loved their years in Connecticut.
They moved to Sun City Center, Fla., in 1986 where they enjoyed a long and happy retirement. He was, perhaps, Chase’s oldest pensioner at 97 years old.
Hank was one of the kindest, wisest, most centered, and most joyful people you will ever meet. He was a wonderful, living example of how to live. His family will carry this example and these sweet memories with them for the rest of their lives. His memory is truly a blessing to them and to all of those whom he touched.
In addition to his wife, Victoria, Hank is survived by his three children, Bud (Kathy), Jackie (Chuck), and Richard, eight grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. A funeral mass and celebration of Hank’s life will be at noon Saturday, April 8, 2017 at Prince of Peace Catholic Church, Sun City Center, Fla. Private interment will be at Sarasota National Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Sun City Center Emergency Squad, 720 Ray Watson Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573