Robert L. Knawa
Robert Lawrence Knawa, 87, of Oro Valley, Arizona, passed away Tuesday, April 19, 2022, in Tucson, Arizona surrounded by members of his loving family. Rob was born January 6, 1935 in Chicago, Illinois; the first born son of Frieda K. Burza and Walter J. Knawa, both deceased.
After graduating high school, Rob married his sweetheart, Patti. They soon started a family in Chicago, and his career began to take off.
He began his early career as a draftsman, later working for Argonne National Laboratory. It was in this capacity Rob and Patti left Chicago for Idaho, where he worked on construction design projects related to the EBR II reactor at what is now Idaho National Laboratory. Rob's expertise in containment design grew and so did his career, as he later worked on major projects of the Washington Public Power Supply System, the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, and as a consultant.
Rob loved to share fond memories of his grandfather's farm in Michigan. He later enjoyed trying his hand as a "gentleman farmer" with a few acres in Idaho Falls, containing two horses and a few head of cattle, while working full time at the INL site.
Rob was also a fly fisherman, and a sports car enthusiast, having been a familiar face at Corvette Club events in Boise, where he met Adine Merkin, whom he married in 2007. The newlyweds made their home in Oro Valley, Arizona, in 2008, where he pursued his passion of sports cars by joining the local Corvette Club. He also volunteered for the Oro Valley Police Department, heading up their group of volunteers for neighborhood watch. He and Adine enjoyed traveling throughout the western states and Mexico.
Rob is survived by his loving wife, Adine, of Oro Valley, Arizona; his four sisters, Mary Cepla, Marcia Peznowski, Judy Rosten, and Pam Quinlan; daughter Deborah (Mark) Kovach of Boise; sons Lee (Dolly) Knawa of Olympia, Washington, and David (Shellie) Knawa of Corona de Tucson, Arizona. He is also survived by grandson Nick (Angelica) Kovach, their daughter Philippa, and granddaughter Megan (Doug) Koury and their sons Graham and Griffin.
Rob was preceded in death in 2004 by his wife, Patricia "Patti", mother of his three children, as well as two great grandchildren, Ezra and Fletcher Kovach.
A Rosary will be prayed Thursday, April 29 at 12:30 PM, at St. Mary's Catholic Community (corner of 26th and State St., Boise). Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 1:00 PM at St. Mary's; Father Jesús Comacho will officiate. Rob will be laid to rest next to Patti, Monday, May 2 at 1:00 PM at Cloverdale Memorial Park, 1200 N. Cloverdale Rd., Boise, Idaho. Services are under the direction of Accent Funeral Home, Meridian.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in his name to the Hundred Club (www.100club.org), an organization that aids families of officers who gave their lives in the line-of-duty.
Robert Lawrence Knawa, 87, of Oro Valley, Arizona, passed away Tuesday, April 19, 2022, in Tucson, Arizona surrounded by members of his loving family. Rob was born January 6, 1935 in Chicago, Illinois; the first born son of Frieda K. Burza and Walter J. Knawa, both deceased.
After graduating high school, Rob married his sweetheart, Patti. They soon started a family in Chicago, and his career began to take off.
He began his early career as a draftsman, later working for Argonne National Laboratory. It was in this capacity Rob and Patti left Chicago for Idaho, where he worked on construction design projects related to the EBR II reactor at what is now Idaho National Laboratory. Rob's expertise in containment design grew and so did his career, as he later worked on major projects of the Washington Public Power Supply System, the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, and as a consultant.
Rob loved to share fond memories of his grandfather's farm in Michigan. He later enjoyed trying his hand as a "gentleman farmer" with a few acres in Idaho Falls, containing two horses and a few head of cattle, while working full time at the INL site.
Rob was also a fly fisherman, and a sports car enthusiast, having been a familiar face at Corvette Club events in Boise, where he met Adine Merkin, whom he married in 2007. The newlyweds made their home in Oro Valley, Arizona, in 2008, where he pursued his passion of sports cars by joining the local Corvette Club. He also volunteered for the Oro Valley Police Department, heading up their group of volunteers for neighborhood watch. He and Adine enjoyed traveling throughout the western states and Mexico.
Rob is survived by his loving wife, Adine, of Oro Valley, Arizona; his four sisters, Mary Cepla, Marcia Peznowski, Judy Rosten, and Pam Quinlan; daughter Deborah (Mark) Kovach of Boise; sons Lee (Dolly) Knawa of Olympia, Washington, and David (Shellie) Knawa of Corona de Tucson, Arizona. He is also survived by grandson Nick (Angelica) Kovach, their daughter Philippa, and granddaughter Megan (Doug) Koury and their sons Graham and Griffin.
Rob was preceded in death in 2004 by his wife, Patricia "Patti", mother of his three children, as well as two great grandchildren, Ezra and Fletcher Kovach.
A Rosary will be prayed Thursday, April 29 at 12:30 PM, at St. Mary's Catholic Community (corner of 26th and State St., Boise). Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 1:00 PM at St. Mary's; Father Jesús Comacho will officiate. Rob will be laid to rest next to Patti, Monday, May 2 at 1:00 PM at Cloverdale Memorial Park, 1200 N. Cloverdale Rd., Boise, Idaho. Services are under the direction of Accent Funeral Home, Meridian.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in his name to the Hundred Club (www.100club.org), an organization that aids families of officers who gave their lives in the line-of-duty.
Robert L. Knawa
Robert Lawrence Knawa, 87, of Oro Valley, Arizona, passed away Tuesday, April 19, 2022, in Tucson, Arizona surrounded by members of his loving family. Rob was born January 6, 1935 in Chicago, Illinois; the first born son of Frieda K. Burza and Walter J. Knawa, both deceased.
After graduating high school, Rob married his sweetheart, Patti. They soon started a family in Chicago, and his career began to take off.
He began his early career as a draftsman, later working for Argonne National Laboratory. It was in this capacity Rob and Patti left Chicago for Idaho, where he worked on construction design projects related to the EBR II reactor at what is now Idaho National Laboratory. Rob's expertise in containment design grew and so did his career, as he later worked on major projects of the Washington Public Power Supply System, the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, and as a consultant.
Rob loved to share fond memories of his grandfather's farm in Michigan. He later enjoyed trying his hand as a "gentleman farmer" with a few acres in Idaho Falls, containing two horses and a few head of cattle, while working full time at the INL site.
Rob was also a fly fisherman, and a sports car enthusiast, having been a familiar face at Corvette Club events in Boise, where he met Adine Merkin, whom he married in 2007. The newlyweds made their home in Oro Valley, Arizona, in 2008, where he pursued his passion of sports cars by joining the local Corvette Club. He also volunteered for the Oro Valley Police Department, heading up their group of volunteers for neighborhood watch. He and Adine enjoyed traveling throughout the western states and Mexico.
Rob is survived by his loving wife, Adine, of Oro Valley, Arizona; his four sisters, Mary Cepla, Marcia Peznowski, Judy Rosten, and Pam Quinlan; daughter Deborah (Mark) Kovach of Boise; sons Lee (Dolly) Knawa of Olympia, Washington, and David (Shellie) Knawa of Corona de Tucson, Arizona. He is also survived by grandson Nick (Angelica) Kovach, their daughter Philippa, and granddaughter Megan (Doug) Koury and their sons Graham and Griffin.
Rob was preceded in death in 2004 by his wife, Patricia "Patti", mother of his three children, as well as two great grandchildren, Ezra and Fletcher Kovach.
A Rosary will be prayed Thursday, April 29 at 12:30 PM, at St. Mary's Catholic Community (corner of 26th and State St., Boise). Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 1:00 PM at St. Mary's; Father Jesús Comacho will officiate. Rob will be laid to rest next to Patti, Monday, May 2 at 1:00 PM at Cloverdale Memorial Park, 1200 N. Cloverdale Rd., Boise, Idaho. Services are under the direction of Accent Funeral Home, Meridian.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in his name to the Hundred Club (www.100club.org), an organization that aids families of officers who gave their lives in the line-of-duty.
Robert Lawrence Knawa, 87, of Oro Valley, Arizona, passed away Tuesday, April 19, 2022, in Tucson, Arizona surrounded by members of his loving family. Rob was born January 6, 1935 in Chicago, Illinois; the first born son of Frieda K. Burza and Walter J. Knawa, both deceased.
After graduating high school, Rob married his sweetheart, Patti. They soon started a family in Chicago, and his career began to take off.
He began his early career as a draftsman, later working for Argonne National Laboratory. It was in this capacity Rob and Patti left Chicago for Idaho, where he worked on construction design projects related to the EBR II reactor at what is now Idaho National Laboratory. Rob's expertise in containment design grew and so did his career, as he later worked on major projects of the Washington Public Power Supply System, the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, and as a consultant.
Rob loved to share fond memories of his grandfather's farm in Michigan. He later enjoyed trying his hand as a "gentleman farmer" with a few acres in Idaho Falls, containing two horses and a few head of cattle, while working full time at the INL site.
Rob was also a fly fisherman, and a sports car enthusiast, having been a familiar face at Corvette Club events in Boise, where he met Adine Merkin, whom he married in 2007. The newlyweds made their home in Oro Valley, Arizona, in 2008, where he pursued his passion of sports cars by joining the local Corvette Club. He also volunteered for the Oro Valley Police Department, heading up their group of volunteers for neighborhood watch. He and Adine enjoyed traveling throughout the western states and Mexico.
Rob is survived by his loving wife, Adine, of Oro Valley, Arizona; his four sisters, Mary Cepla, Marcia Peznowski, Judy Rosten, and Pam Quinlan; daughter Deborah (Mark) Kovach of Boise; sons Lee (Dolly) Knawa of Olympia, Washington, and David (Shellie) Knawa of Corona de Tucson, Arizona. He is also survived by grandson Nick (Angelica) Kovach, their daughter Philippa, and granddaughter Megan (Doug) Koury and their sons Graham and Griffin.
Rob was preceded in death in 2004 by his wife, Patricia "Patti", mother of his three children, as well as two great grandchildren, Ezra and Fletcher Kovach.
A Rosary will be prayed Thursday, April 29 at 12:30 PM, at St. Mary's Catholic Community (corner of 26th and State St., Boise). Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 1:00 PM at St. Mary's; Father Jesús Comacho will officiate. Rob will be laid to rest next to Patti, Monday, May 2 at 1:00 PM at Cloverdale Memorial Park, 1200 N. Cloverdale Rd., Boise, Idaho. Services are under the direction of Accent Funeral Home, Meridian.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in his name to the Hundred Club (www.100club.org), an organization that aids families of officers who gave their lives in the line-of-duty.
