Eddie Allen Knipp quietly passed away at his home in Curtis, Wash., April 3, 2017. He was born in Long Beach, Calif., to Joseph and Rowena (Johnson) Knipp Sept. 23, 1942. He attended Mount Lowe Military Academy and Garden Grove High School.
Eddie joined the United States Navy and trained as an aviation fire fighter at Corpus Christi, Texas, and served on the flight deck of the USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) on her maiden WestPac Cruise. He loved to tell about the time he opened a hatch (door) for President Kennedy.
After his Navy service, he worked at Sears and then trained as a GE appliance repairman, one of the highlights being his visits to John Wayne’s home. The family, wife, Marti, daughter, Cindy and son, Jon, relocated to the Denver, Colo., area where he graduated from Colorado Sales Training Institute in 1972, and started a career in transportation sales.
During his time in Colorado, Eddie served as an Adams County Deputy and was also a member of the Sheriff’s Mounted Posse. He often spoke of his Arabian, Sydna, and how he was a show stealer in parades. Eddie had a passion for horses; a love he shared with his daughter, Cindy.
The family moved to Washington State, where he found his dream job with TOTE (Totem Ocean Trailer Express) moving freight from Seattle/Tacoma to Alaska. He was twice elected President of the Transportation Club of Seattle.
Eddie was also a member of the Civil Air Patrol where he achieved the rank of Major. During his service, he helped to form the Stephen Mills Squadron in Federal Way. Eddie owned an aircraft and flew it in numerous search and rescue and training missions with his son, Jon. He was also a wing coordinator for the International Air Cadet Exchange which hosted members of organizations similar to the Civil Air Patrol from other countries.
In 1993, he married Marg Parker of Curtis. Eddie retired from TOTE in 1998, and the two spent a number of years traveling in their RV, working their way across the country several times. They settled in Curtis in 2004, where he was active in the Boistfort Emergency Assistance Group, the ham radio net and a bible study group with a few of his dearest friends.
Eddie is survived by his wife, Marg; sister, Carol Dopek; daughter, Cindy Snodgrass; son, Jon Knipp; stepson, Michael Parker; and grandchildren, Jason, Amber, Emily, Natasha and Naomi.
A memorial service is planned for Saturday, April 22, 2017, at 1 p.m., at the Baw Faw Grange in Curtis. His good friend, T. Neason, will officiate the service, which will be followed by a potluck.
Private interment with military honors was at Tahoma National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Boistfort Emergency Assistance Group (BEAG) or the Boistfort Fire Fighters Association, both at PO Box 16, Curtis WA 98538.
Arrangements lovingly made by Sticklin Funeral Home in Centralia, we appreciate their incredible kindness and help getting through all the details.
