Wallace Robert “Bob” Knigge, 87, of Woonsocket died Aug. 28, 2012 in the Sioux Falls Veterans Hospital at Sioux Falls.
He was born May 10, 1925 to Henry and Marcella (Kemptner) Knigge.
The military service was a large part of his life. He served as a cook for 20 years in the Army and was in the Korean and Vietnam wars.
He met Toyoko Hirai Matsuda “Jeanie” when on tour of duty in Japan, and they married April 27, 1954.
While in the service, he and his family lived at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo., Ft. Bliss, Tex., Ft. Hood, Tex., and Ft. Bragg, N.C. until retiring in his hometown of Woonsocket in 1970, where he bartended for a few years in his brother’s bar. He became affectionately known to his friends as “Moto” and let’s just say there were a few “Moto moments.” He fought many battles including one personal one and the years that followed were truly a gift.
In his retirement years, he enjoyed living in Woonsocket for over 40 years, going to the Express Stop for a cup of coffee and the news, tinkering in his shop, urban farming (gardening) on the south forty, being at family gatherings and traveling to see his kids and the grandkids, especially on special occasions and holidays. He loved to spoil his grandkids by giving them rides all over town in a trailer pulled by his little Ford tractor. He was always seen in town proudly wearing a blue hat that read “Grampa Bob.”
He is survived by his wife, Toyoko, Mitchell; four children, Donna (Dihl), Bult, Sioux Falls, Robert “Bobby” (Lynette) Knigge, Redfield, David Knigge, Pierre, Kevin (Sharon) Knigge, Las Vegas, Nev.; 17 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; his siblings, Ila Burke, Charlie Knigge, Paul Knigge and Norma Knigge.
He was preceded in death by Henry “Corky” Knigge, Raymond “Sonny” Knigge, Mary Kogel and Mavis Steichen.