Richard John Knapp

Colonel (US Army Retired) Richard J. “Dick” Knapp passed away peacefully in his home on June 25th, 2023. He was born to Richard John Knapp, Sr and Georgianna (Haas) Knapp in Dayton, Ohio on October 2, 1943. He was the second of thirteen Knapp children and attended the school built by his parents, St. John the Baptist school in Excelsior Minnesota. He graduated from Benilde High School in 1961 and St. John’s University, Collegeville, MN in 1965 when he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, Armor, through the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). Early in his career, Colonel Knapp was associated primarily with armored and cavalry units. He served in a variety of command and staff assignments in the United States and overseas. Noteworthy of these assignments was command of a tank company in Germany from 1966 to 1967, two armored cavalry troops in Vietnam in 1968 and an armored cavalry troop in Germany from 1974 to 1975. He was selected to be the first Professor of Military Science (ROTC) at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, and held that position from June 1981, until June 1984. His other assignments used his expertise in information systems. He was a Personnel Systems Officer at TRADOC from 1972 to 1974, the Chief of the World Wide Military Command and Control System Branch at the Defense Nuclear Agency from 1978 to 1981, Commander of an Automation Management Information Center in Taegu, South Korea from 1984 to 1986, a member of the Army Secretariat as Chief of the Plans Division for the Director of Information Systems for Command, Control, Communications, and Computers from 1986 to 1988, followed by the Chief of Staff of the Reserve Component Automation System Program Management Office, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. In 1990, he assumed command of the Army’s Software Development Center – Washington. He retired in September 1992. Following his military career, Colonel Knapp was a program manager for EER systems and L3-Communications from 1993 to 2002. As such he supported the government in information systems projects. From 2005 to present, he was an independent contractor, supporting training exercises associated with USIS, PAE and GDIT. Dick held a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics from St. John’s University and a Master of Arts degree in Industrial Management from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. His professional military education included attendance at the Armor Officer’s, Basic Course, Fort Knox, KY, the Infantry Officer’s Advanced Course at Fort Benning, GA, the United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, KS, the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, PA, and the Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, VA. His decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Army Achievement Medal. He was airborne qualified. Throughout his career, Dick dedicated his non-military time to church and community activities. He was chairman of the Saint Louis Catholic Church Pastoral Council from 1988 to 2000. He was the founding chairman of the St. John’s and Saint Benedict’s Alumni Chapter in Washington DC. He was a member of the board of the Southeast Fairfax County Development Corporation (2011- present), and chaired its Marketing, Planning, and Transportation Committee ( 2014- present). In 2016, he served on the Old Mount Vernon H.S. Re-Utilization Task Force, and later served on the Steering Committee from 2017 to present. From 2015 to present, he co chaired the Fairfax County Advisory Group EMBARK dedicated to the widening of Richmond Highway and implementation of Bus Rapid Transit. He chaired the Pinewood Lake Marketing Committee from 2003 to present after serving on its board from 1980 - 1981. He was awarded the honor of “Lord Fairfax 2017“ for Lee District, Fairfax County. He loved racquetball, golf, and travel. Dick was absolutely loyal to everything he held dear: his Catholic faith, his alma mater, his friends, his country and his family. He was a man who never met a stranger, and once he considered you his friend, you had a friend for life. He was well-versed in a variety of subjects, and could hold a room with his wit and wisdom. He loved to provoke thoughts and conversation in his audience, especially when interacting with a promising teenager. He respected well thought out opinions, even if they differed from his own. Dick met the love of his life, Ione Grubich in Friedberg, Germany, and were married on August 12, 1967 in Lake Benton, Minnesota. They spent the better part of their lives together, first, traveling the world for their country, and then traveling the world for each other. Dick was an unabashed conservative, but served in the Army under three Democratic, and four Republican Commanders in Chief, and served each of them with complete loyalty and integrity. Upon visiting all seven continents, (some multiple times) he admitted they were spending their children and grandchildren‘s inheritance. But in reality, Dick’s children and grandchildren inherited what is truly important: Love of God, love of Country and Love of Family. Colonel Dick Knapp is survived by his loving wife Ione, their children and spouses; Julie and Matt Uyemura, Paula and Kevin Cooper, Steven and Kathryn Knapp. He is survived by his 13 grandchildren and spouses; David and Genevieve Cooper, Grant Cooper, Kayla and Jacob Imber, Madelyn and Garret Mix, Tyler, Zachary, Lauryn, and Delaney Uyemura, Kiely, Emily, John Paul, William and Catherine Knapp, and one great granddaughter, Sophia Imber. He is also survived by five brothers and five sisters, many nieces and nephews, and relatives. He was preceded in death by his brothers Michael and Gregory Knapp and parents Richard J. Knapp Sr and Georgianna Haas Knapp. Colonel Richard Knapp’s wake is at the Jefferson Chapel Thursday, July 6 from 3 to 7 PM. His funeral is at Saint Louis Catholic Church on Friday, July 7 at 11 AM. The live streaming information for the funeral is on the Saint Louis Catholic Church website [www.SaintLouisParish.org] . DICK SUPPORTED THE LITTLE WORKERS OF SACRED HEARTS. DONATIONS CAN BE SENT TO THEIR LINK [http://www.lwshptclinic.com] IN LIEU OF FLOWERS

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Richard John Knapp

October 2, 1943 - June 25, 2023