Wilbert “Willy” Knobloch was born December 25, 1926 on the family farm near Alvord, Iowa, the son of Dietrich and Julia (Koch) Knobloch. He attended Cleveland Township School and helped his family with the farming duties. As a young man he moved to Princeville, IL and worked for George and Esther Kieser as a farm hand. During this time Willy gave his life to the Lord and was baptized in the Princeville Apostolic Christian Church on February 6, 1949. He entered the U.S. Army in 1950 and was united in marriage to Helen K. Schambach on August 15, 1951. Three days after their wedding Willy was deployed to Korea where he served as a combat medic. After his honorable discharge he returned to Helen and they lived in Bensenville, IL, where he worked at Johnson & Johnson Company for a few years. In 1961 Willy and Helen moved back to Iowa and purchased a farm south of Lester, IA, where they farmed for the next 30 years. They moved to a home in Lester in 1991. In 2014 Willy and Helen moved to Premier Estates in Rock Rapids where they remained until entering Lyon Specialty Care in Rock Rapids. On May 5, 2016 Willy’s wife Helen passed away after 64 years of marriage. Willy remained living at Lyon Specialty Care until his death this past Saturday, March 11, 2017.

Willy was a member of the Apostolic Christian Church, the Lester American Legion, serving as Commander for many years. He served as a Lyon County Soil & Water Commissioner. He enjoyed woodworking, building bird houses, watching birds, playing Dominos and most of all helping others.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Dietrich and Julia Knobloch; loving wife, Helen; five brothers, Ernest, Albert, Dietrich, Benjamin and Earl; seven sisters, Julia Plattner, Emma Knobloch, Elizabeth Barker, Lydia Moser, Paulina Knobloch, Emelie Knobloch and Wilma Hoogeveen.

Jurrens Funeral Homes
Rock Rapids, Sibley, George, Larchwood, Ashton, Little Rock, Iowa & Hills, MN 51246-1232