Knoedel, Don

Don Knoedel died Sunday, Jan. 16, 2011, in Edina, Minn., from complications due to Parkinson's disease. 

He was the firstborn of Joseph (1919-1995) and Marguerite Knoedel on Dec. 19, 1948, at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City. A 1967 graduate of City High School, he completed his B. S. degree in civil engineering at the University of Iowa in 1974, after having served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam from 1969-70.

He started his 30-year career as a civil engineer for the U.S. Government in Denver in 1975 and always took great pride in his work ethic and attention to detail. Don kept the slide rule he used as a college freshman above his work desk to remind him of his humble beginnings in Iowa City.

In his 30 years in Colorado he grew to love the winters, the beautiful scenery of the Rockies, and the friends he made. He was a big fan of Bronco football and Rockies baseball, but he was always a Hawkeye at heart.

Don was an avid reader of mysteries and science fiction and loved his morning crossword puzzle, but he was also an active person, spending his free time hiking in the Rockies, especially on his favorite path in Mount Falcon Park. He traveled the mountain trails near Denver as much as possible and grew quite fond of the time he spent among the peaks.

His brothers and sisters will remember him for the card games at Christmas, his knowledge on any science-related question, his unflagging generosity, and the joy he added at all of our family gatherings. 

He is survived by his mother, Marguerite; siblings, Margie (Jack Sjoquist) in Bloomington, Minn., Jim (Denise) in Chicago, Bill (Susy) in Urbandale, Sues in Madison, Wis., Andy in North Liberty and Mary Ellen (Brian Sullivan) in Edina, Minn.; in addition to his four nephews, Matt, Michael, Brett and Daniel. We will all sorely miss him.

In lieu of flowers, he asked that donations be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research or the soon to be established Donald J. Knoedel College of Engineering Foundation at the University of Iowa.