Knoepfler, Donald Wilson

Donald Wilson Knoepfler died peacefully at his home in Williamsburg, Va., on Jan. 2, 2012. His warmth and wry wit will be remembered and missed by his family, colleagues, friends, and hundred of former students.

Services will be held at Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg, Va. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at Oakland Cemetery, Iowa City, with the Rev. Mel Schlachter officiating.

He was born in Sioux City, Iowa, on Sept. 18, 1931, the son of Karl John Knoepfler and Corinne Record Knoepfler.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and his brothers, Robert J. Knoepfler and James C. Knoepfler.

Donald is survived by his wife of 40 years, Annette Robinson Knoepfler; and their children, Karl Knoepfler, his wife Janice, and children, Karlie and Allie, of Omaha, Neb.; William Doughman and his wife, Nancy, of Albertville, Minn.; Carol Knoepfler of Omaha, Neb.; James Doughman, his wife Heej Ko, and children, Ryan and Alexander, of Wilton, Conn.; Thomas Doughman, his wife Lori, and children, Mariah and Hannah, of Sherwood, Wis.; Amy Knoepfler Vinton, her husband Brian, and children, Margaret and Katherine, of Gibbon, Neb.; Sarah Knoepfler of Omaha, Neb.; and Robert Knoepfler and his wife, Tawnya, of Duluth, Minn.

At age 8, Donald moved to Iowa City and was a graduate of City High and the University of Iowa, with degrees in speech and dramatic arts. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and was the “voice” of the University of Iowa Marching Band and Scottish Highlanders.

During the Korean conflict, he served as a U.S. Air Force officer in the 680th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron. In 1953, as a television director, he helped put WMT-TV, the first Eastern Iowa television channel, on the air in Cedar Rapids.

He then began his career as professor of Communications, teaching at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Oregon, the University of Minnesota, Indiana State University, and the University of Iowa. After a 24-year tenure at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, where he also held the post of chairman of the Department of Communication, Donald retired in 1996.

His work in the classroom and television studio was especially innovative and creative, and he gave a generous counsel to generations of students.

Donald was a printer of handset, limited edition books, the proprietor, along with his wife, of The Buttonmaker Press. He was particularly proud of his edition of an original Mark Twain manuscript, “The Quaker City Holy Land Excursion,” which was the basis of Innocents Abroad. Donald designed and printed on 19th century antique presses, including an 1843 Columbian press, which was later donated to the University of Iowa Center for the Book, and which is on permanent display in the University's Main Library.

After retiring to Williamsburg, he became an active member of Bruton Parish Church, where he was a lay reader. He was also a volunteer interpreter with the Jamestown Rediscovery Archeological Project.

Memorials may be made to Bruton Parish Church, 331 Duke of Gloucester St., Williamsburg, VA 23185, or the University of Iowa Foundation, Center of the Book, 1 West Park Rd., Iowa City, IA 52242.

Arrangements are with Lensing Funeral and Cremation Service of Iowa City.

Published Jan. 14, 2012, in The Gazette