Vivian Knospe

OBITUARY FOR VIVIAN KNOSPE

VIVIAN (TEWES) KNOSPE, 93, OF MERRILL, WI, DIED PEACEFULLY ON NOVEMBER 23,

2020, AT PINE CREST NURSING HOME IN MERRILL, WISCONSIN, WHERE SHE HAD

RESIDED FOR THE PAST 5 YEARS. VIVIAN WAS BORN THE SECOND OF FOUR CHILDREN TO RUDOLPH AND SARAH (ALLORIE) TEWES OF MERRILL, ON MAY 25TH, 1927. GROWING UP WITH 3 BROTHERS, AND NO SISTERS, VIV WAS A SELF PROCLAIMED “TOM BOY”, AND LEARNED TO, “HOLD HER OWN,” WHICH SHE DID ALL HER LIFE! ON NOVEMBER 25TH, 1945, SHE MARRIED WILLIAM GEORGE KNOSPE, ALSO OF MERRILL. HE PRECEDED HER IN DEATH ON DECEMBER 23, 1995.THEY WERE MARRIED 50 YEARS.

VIVIAN WORKED MOST OF HER ADULT LIFE, UNTIL SHE RETIRED FROM WEINBRENNER SHOE COMPANY IN MERRILL IN 1999. BILL AND VIV HAD TWO SONS, GEORGE, AND A BABY THAT DIED AT BIRTH IN 1948. ANYONE THAT KNEW VIV, KNEW HER TO BE A NO-NON-SENSE, HARD WORKING, FULL STEAM AHEAD, WIFE AND MOTHER. IN THE EARLY YEARS OF THEIR MARRIAGE, VIV WOULD ACCOMPANY BILL TO “DANCE JOBS” AROUND THE STATE ON WEEKENDS, WHERE BILL WOULD SING AND PLAY THE GUITAR, WITH HIS COUNTRY MUSIC BAND, “THE DRIFTERS”.  NO MATTER THE HOUR THEY RETURNED HOME; VIV WOULD ROUTINELY COOK UP A BIG BREAKFAST FOR EVERYONE TO EAT. MANY TALL TALES WERE TOLD AT THAT TABLE!

IN LATER YEARS, DURING THE VIETNAM WAR, WHILE SERVING IN THE AIR FORCE, VIV’S SON, GEORGE, RETURNED HOME ON LEAVE FROM THAILAND.  VIV GOT THE CALL WHILE AT WORK. SHE INFORMED HER BOSS THAT SHE WAS LEAVING, TURNED OFF HER MACHINE AND MARCHED OUT THE DOOR, AND WITH BILL, WENT TO GET THEIR SON.  VIV ALWAYS SAID THAT YEAR WAS THE LONGEST AND HARDEST YEAR OF HER LIFE. VIV WAS FAMOUS FOR MAKING HOME MADE APPLE PIES.  HER MOUTH-WATERING PIES HAD A FLAKY CRUST THAT MELTED IN YOUR MOUTH.  SHE WOULD BAKE ONE AT THE DROP OF A HAT AT ANYONE’S REQUEST. VIV’S TWO GRAND DAUGHTERS WERE THE ONLY PEOPLE VIV EVER TAUGHT TO MAKE THAT PIE!

IN HER TWILIGHT YEARS, VIV’S GREAT GRAND CHILD, CASEY, WAS THE SPARK THAT

ALWAYS PUT A TWINKLE IN HER EYES AND A GRIN ON HER FACE.  VIV’S JOY WAS HER FAMILY.

SURVIVORS INCLUDE HER SON, GEORGE (CONNIE) KNOSPE, MERRILL, WI, HER GRAND DAUGHTERS, WENDY KNOSPE OF MERRILL AND LINDA (BRIAN) KRUEGER OF KIMBERLY, WI,  GREAT GRANDSON, CASEY KRUEGER OF KIMBERLY WI., TWO BROTHERS, VICTOR TEWES OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS AND  MAURICE (aka: PAT/ RUDY) TEWES OF MERRILL, NIECES AND NEPHEWS.

VIV WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HER PARENTS, HER HUSBAND BILL, HER INFANT SON, AND HER BROTHER AND SISTER-IN-LAW CALVIN (DORIS) TEWES OF OMAHA NEBRASKA, AND SISTERS-IN-LAW ALICE (MAURICE) TEWES OF MERRILL AND ROSEMARY (VICTOR) TEWES OF ROCKFORD, IL.

MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL WILL BE 11:00 AM ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2020 AT ST. FRANCIS XAVIER CATHOLIC CHURCH.  FR. MARIADAS VALLABHANENI WILL BE OFFICIATING.  VISITATION WILL BE FROM 9:30 AM TO 10:45 AM ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2020 AT WAID FUNERAL HOME.  BURIAL WILL BE IN MERRILL MEMORIAL PARK CEMETERY.

SPECIAL THANKS TO THE STAFF AND CARE GIVERS AT PINE CREST NURSING HOME. THEY HAVE ALWAYS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND EXPECTATIONS IN VIV’S CARE.  THE STAFF HAD BECOME VIV’S SUBSTITUTE FAMILY DURING THESE MONTHS OF QUARANTINE.  IT WAS A BLESSING TO VISIT WITH VIV FREQUENTLY, THROUGH ‘FACE TIME’, ANY TIME WE WISHED. THAT SERVICE WAS A GODSEND FOR OUR FAMILY DURING THIS VERY DIFFICULT TIME. WHILE IN HOSPICE, THE FAMILY WERE ABLE TO VISIT VIV IN PERSON, DUE TO PINE CRESTS COMPASSIONATE CARE POLICY. WE ARE BEYOND GRATEFUL FOR THIS PRACTICE.  WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION TO DR. GREG GILL, VIV’S CARE PROVIDER. VIV REALLY LIKED DR. GILL!  HIGH PRAISE INDEED!  WAID FUNERAL & CREMATION SERVICE IS ASSISTING THE FAMILY WITH ARRANGEMENTS.  ONLINE CONDOLENCES ARE ENCOURAGED AND MAY BE MADE AT WWW.WAIDFUNERAL.COM .