Unending Service Recognized

SEELEY LAKE – When Glen Knopp died June 9, 2017, his obituary included the message, "In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake." It was a fitting recommendation, one everyone who knew him understood. After Knopp's move to Seeley Lake following his 2001 retirement from Smurfit-Stone, much of his life centered around serving the veterans of Seeley Lake.

Knopp came from a background of service. His father was a Colonel and his mother a Major in the Civil Air Patrol. CAP is the civilian auxiliary organization affiliated with the United States Air Force. Its three-fold mission is aerospace education, aviation-centered cadet programs and emergency services such as search and rescue and disaster relief. Raised in the midst of CAP activities, joining the Air Force after high school graduation seemed the logical next step for Knopp.

In the Air Force, Knopp received training as an aircraft fuel specialist. He was then sent to Washington D.C. where he had the responsibility of servicing Air Force One when Lyndon B. Johnson was president.

Knopp's next tour of duty took him to Ankara, Turkey in 1966. That was the same year he married his wife Barbara. Two years later, health concerns for his infant son precipitated his decision to muster out of the Air Force.

For the next 34 years, Knopp worked for the Frenchtown paper mill, while also establishing his own auto repair business B&G Auto. During that time he bought property and built a house in Seeley Lake, which he and Barb moved into after his retirement.

Always military-minded, Knopp joined the VFW. In 2005 he was asked to take on the role of Commander of Post 7992 in Seeley Lake.

Barb credits her husband with two significant accomplishments during his time as Post Commander: establishing the Ladies Auxiliary and making significant improvements to the Veterans Memorial, now officially called Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake Memorial Garden.

For a number of years, prior Post Commander Don Skilicorn had wanted to organize a Ladies Auxiliary. Barb said when her husband took over command, both he and Skilicorn pressured her to help organize a group and assume leadership for it, which she ultimately did. Approximately 20 enthusiastic women immediately formed themselves into the Ladies Auxiliary and began working on a variety of projects to assist VFW Post 7992. Among the tasks they took on were providing an annual free meal to express their appreciation for Seeley Lake military veterans and decorating a VFW float for the town's Fourth of July parade.

The other duty Knopp assumed when he became Post Commander was care of the Veteran's Memorial on the edge of town. Barb said, "That was his love."

According to Barb, the grounds were in "pretty bad shape" before her husband took responsibility for them. The area was filled with weeds and a few faded plastic flowers were stuck in the flower beds.

Barb said, "He took over and that was his baby. He mowed and weeded and took care of putting up the arches. He arranged to have new plaques made [whenever a Seeley Lake veteran died], which he then varnished and hung."

The flower beds now have live plants surrounded by white stones to cut down on the weeds and a wire enclosure to discourage the deer.

When the core members of Post 7992 aged out, the Post and its Auxiliary disbanded in 2012. In 2013, Knopp and his wife along with other members of the former Post and Auxiliary organized Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake (VFSL). Since the group was no longer affiliated with any government organization, they extended their reach to include members with any military association, not just war veterans. The group also continues many of their previous activities including the Appreciation Dinner, the Care Packages for servicemen overseas and providing assistance to Seeley Lake veterans whenever needed. Until his death, Knopp also continued tending to "his baby" the Memorial Garden.

In gratitude for his commitment and dedication, the VFSL decided that some of the money donated "in lieu of flowers" at Knopp's funeral should be used to create a plaque honoring him.

VFSL member Marjorie Pelletier said, "[Knopp] was very instrumental in taking care of the memorial. He worked behind the scenes a lot, but he was just always there whenever veterans needed anything. [The plaque] is something he would have been very humbled by. He was one of those guys who didn't want everyone to know all the good things he was doing."

The plaque affixed to the flagpole at the Memorial Garden reads "In memory of Glen G. Knopp, U.S. Air Force, Seeley Lake VFW Post 7992 Post Commander, Founding Member of Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake. Both organizations appreciate his years of dedication and care to the VFSL Memorial Garden and to all Veterans."

The group carries on Knopp's care of the Memorial Garden and has plans for future improvements.