Obituary: Charles J. 'Chuck' Knoebel

Charles J. “Chuck” Knoebel, lifelong Waukesha resident, died peacefully in his sleep on Tuesday morning Jan. 24, 2012, at Tudor Oaks Retirement Community in Muskego at the age of 92 after a six-month battle with cancer.  He was pre-deceased by his beloved wife of 70 years, Ruth, who died on June 2, 2011.

Charles was born Dec. 5, 1919, the son of Louis and Elsie Knoebel. He was a descendant of the pioneer Knoebel family who emigrated from Freiburg, Germany, to Waukesha in the late 1840s. Many Knoebel relations still remain throughout the area.

A life-long Waukesha resident, Charles was a 1937 graduate of Waukesha High School. He subsequently served as a U.S Army sergeant in World War II, seeing action in France and Germany. Following the war, Charles was employed for 40 years as a railroad conductor for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. He was a long-time member of St. Joseph’s and St. Mary’s Roman Catholic parishes in Waukesha. He possessed a fine tenor voice and often sang his favorite song, Oh Danny Boy, at family gatherings and on other special occasions.

Charles is survived by his two sons, the Rev. Thomas Knoebel, vice-rector at Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wisconsin and John Knoebel, a publishing executive of New York City, as well as by one sister, Bernice Rogler of Atlanta, GA, and numerous nieces and nephews.  In addition to his wife Ruth, Charles was pre-deceased by his brother Eugene and his sister, Beatrice Mickel.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the 11 a.m. funeral Mass on Friday, Jan. 27, 2012, at St. Mary Catholic Church, 225 S. Hartwell Ave., in Waukesha. His son, The Rev. Thomas Knoebel, will preside. Burial will immediately follow the funeral Mass at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, 1650 East Broadway, Waukesha.

For further information, please call at 262-547-4035 or go to www.waukeshafunerals.com to leave the family an online tribute message.