Johanna Diers Knoop

Star Clipper
Friday, March 8, 1946

MRS. HANS KNOOP DIES AT HOME IN TRAER; WAS 91
Stricken by Heart attack at 7:30 A. M. thursday - Rites To Be Saturday at 2 P . M .

Mrs. Johanna Knoop, 91, of Traer, died suddenly at her home at 7;30 yesterday morning of a heart attack, she was preparing to to leave her bed and start breakfast when she was stricken. Until the last few months she had been living alone and did her own housework, although rarely seen in public. Mrs. Knoop was the widow of Hans Knoop, who died in July 1918, a few years after the couple left their farm in Oneida township and retired in Traer.

Surviving are six children, five of whom live in north Tama County; and one sister, Mrs. Hans Hansen, of Traer, A son, Emil, of Traer, and a daughter, Mrs. William Hock, Clutier, preceded her.

Funeral services are to be held at the States Funeral Home at 2 o'clock Saturday afternoon, and burial will be in Oneida cemetery, north of Clutier.

Second Obituary

MRS. HANS KNOOP IS LAID TO REST IN ONEIDA TOWNSHIP CEMETERY

Funeral services for Mrs. Johanna Knoop, 91, whose death Thursday morning, Feb . 28, was noted briefly in last week's Star- Clipper, were held at the States Funeral Home at 2 o'clock last Saturday afternoon. The Rev. B. T. Schwab, Congergational pastor, conducted the service. Mrs. Schwab sang two hymans, accompanied at the piano by Mrs. B. F. Thomas. Casketbearers, all grandsons of Mrs. Knoop, were Ted, Willard and Victor Knoop, Wm. Koester, Harry Hock and Harold Buchholt. In charge of flowers were Mrs. Ed Bohnstengel and Mrs. Chas. Justice. Burial was in Oneida cemetery, north of Clutier.

Mrs. Knoop, who was Johanna Diers before her marriage, a daughter of Nicholas and Margaret Diers, was born Feb. 12, 1855, in Schlesweig-Holstein, Germany. She was only nine or ten years old when the family came to the United States. They lived at Davenport, Ia., a short time, then came to a farm in Carroll township, Tama county, later moving to Oneida township. She married Hans Knoop in the 70's, and they started housekeeping on a farm near the future town of Clutier. They are the parents of eight children.

Mr. and Mrs. Knoop, industrious and thrifty, were held in high regard by their neighbors and friends . They retired in Traer in 1916, living in the south part of town, Mr. Knoop died in 1918. The widow soon sold her home in Traer and returned to Clutier to be near her children. But in 1920 she returned to Traer, buying the property on west First street which has been her home since. Until recent months Mrs. Knoop had been in excellent health. She lived quietly but took a keen interest in all that was going on about her. She did her own housework and attended to all her own business affairs. Her children and grandchildren came to see her often. During the last few months one of her children has been with her at all times and gave her tender care. In her old age she enjoyed the devotion of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, A daughter Mrs. Elmer Hora, of Clutie, was with her Thursday when Mrs. Knoop was stricken by a fatal heart attack.

The six surviving children are Will, of Clutier; Henry of Traer, Mrs. Mary Lamb, Tama; Mrs. Hora, and Herman and Harry Knoop, all of Clutier. She also leaves a half-sister, Mrs. Lena Hansen, Of Traer, and a half-brother Herman Ralfs, in Alaska.

Preceding her in death were her eldest son, Emil, and a daughter, Alvina,(Mrs. Wm. Hock ); also three half-brothers and a sister. There are seventeen living grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Knoop was a member of Zion Lutheran church, of Dysart.

Submitted By: Velma Marie Ralfs/ Grant & daughter Claire Marie Grant (cmgrant2@yahoo.com)