Ralph Knopp

Ralph Wilbur Knopp, age 86, of Moses Lake, Washington died May 2, 2002 at Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake.


Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 8, 2002 at the Moses Lake Alliance Church. Committal and interment will follow at the Wilson Creek Cemetery.


Mr. Knopp was born on February 1, 1916, the son of Frank R. and Rosa M.D. (Hirschel) Knopp in Madison County, near Linwood, Indiana. Shortly after, the family moved to Washington State and lived in the Latah and Tekoa area. Later they moved to Hover for a short time, where the family operated a ferry boat, before moving to Kennewick where he graduated from the 8th grade.


At age 10 he began herding cows for a dairyman. He then went to work on a chicken farm and subsequently for a dairy farmer who later became his father-in-law. At age 21 he partnered with two of his brothers on a farm north of Wilson Creek for a few years.


On December 26, 1939 he married Gertrude Harris in Pasco, Washington and they farmed east of Wilson Creek until purchasing a dairy farm near Colville, Washington in October of 1945. Together they successfully raised eleven children on the dairy. In 1979 he retired and lived in Moses Lake and Warden.


Survivors include his wife, Gertrude Knopp of Moses Lake; children, Laura & Gary Hills of Lone Pine, Montana, Lloyd & Mary Anne Knopp of Moses Lake, Washington, Ruth & Jim Harpe of Summerville, Oregon, Merle & Bonnie Knopp of Burbank, Washington, Gordon & Joyce Knopp of Ephrata, Washington, Martha & Richard Wise of Imbler, Oregon, Ethel Knopp of White Fish, Montana, Paul Knopp of Delta Junction, Alaska, Geneva Welke of Stayton, Oregon, Eileen & Jon Nap of Deer Park, Washington and Lowell & Carol Knopp of La Grande, Oregon; 32 grandchildren; 25 great grandchildren; sisters and brothers-in-law, Angeline Liebing of Wilson Creek, Washington, Lucille & Wallace Harris of Pasco, Washington, Clara Harris of Puyallup, Washington and Fern & Alvin Harris of Pasco, Washington; brothers and sisters-in-law, Raymond & Vera Knopp of Drain, Oregon, Wayne & Bernetta Knopp of Coulee City, Washington, Melvin & Maureen Knopp of Leslieville, Alberta, Canada, Lawrence & Adine Knopp of Bridgeport, Washington, Jesse & Doloris Knopp of Coulee City, Washington and Tootsie Knopp of Condor, Alberta, Canada; many nieces and nephews and dear friends. His parents, a sister, Estella Knopp, a brother, Marvin Knopp and a granddaughter, Susanne Knopp preceded him in death.