Darryl N. Knopp

Darryl N. Knopp, 83, of Spiceland passed away peacefully after an extended illness on Wednesday, July 1, 2020 at I.U. Ball Hospital in Muncie.
Darryl was born on June 5, 1937 in Montevideo, Minnesota to the late Joseph and Flora (Arends) Knopp.

He graduated from Hawley High School in Hawley, Minnesota in 1955, where he truly enjoyed playing on the High School football team.

After high school, Darryl joined the U.S. Air Force, serving until 1963. His service of 8 years in the military took him to Korea, France and various other stations here in the U.S. He was a Radio Relay Equipment Repairman and eventually was stationed in Hollywood, California as a Military Motion Picture Camera Technician. He was honorably discharged in 1963 with the rank of Staff Sergeant.

It was in California where he met and married the love of his life, Bonnie Couch. They were married on November 2, 1962 in Canoga Park, California. He continued to work as a camera technician after being discharged from the Military.

He moved to Henry County, Indiana in 1971, coming back to where his wife, Bonnie had grown up. He was eventually employed by Chrysler Corporation in New Castle, as a manufacturing foreman. He continued to work for Chrysler Corporation for 26 years, having driven to the Dayton, Ohio plant daily for nearly 16 years. He retired in May 1999.

Darryl had once enjoyed watching football, especially the Indianapolis Colts, during the Peyton Manning era. And he also loved watching IU Basketball during the Bobby Knight coaching era. He enjoyed collecting miniature die cast model cars and trucks of the Danbury Mint Collection. And had built a model yacht to scale which he had named “Bonnie Jean”.

He loved his family and enjoyed having his family all together for family gatherings, especially the holidays as much as possible. He even bought a van so that he would have room for all his grandchildren. All 6 of them!! He loved them all so much and tried to show them in ways he was able.

He had attended New Harvest Church faithfully and attended Cross Road Church, as well.

He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 57 years, Bonnie Knopp of Spiceland; daughter, Leah (Fritz) Ford of New Castle; son, Jeff (Kathy, fiancé) Knopp of Columbus, Ohio; grandson, Jeffrey Knopp, Jr. of Dalton, Ohio, granddaughter, Bryanna (Zaylor, fiancé) Knopp of Akron, Ohio, granddaughter, Ciara Knopp of Akron, Ohio, granddaughter, Lora Knopp of Dalton, Ohio, grandson, Isaiah Knopp of Columbus, Ohio and Jeremiah Knopp of Dalton, Ohio; sister, Delores Confair of Minneapolis, MN; sister-in-law, Maryls Knopp of Deer Park, WI; several nieces, nephews; and several brothers and sisters-in-law.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Duaine Knopp.

IT HAS BEEN REQUESTED THAT ALL FAMILY AND FRIENDS WEAR A FACE COVERING WHILE ATTENDING THE SERVICES FOR MR. KNOPP. Face masks will be available upon request at the funeral home.

Services will be 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 7, 2020 at Hinsey-Brown Funeral Service in New Castle with Pastor Danny Douglas officiating. Burial will follow in South Mound Cemetery, West Lawn Addition with military honors conducted by the American Legion/VFW and US Air Force. Visitation will be 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Memorial Contributions may be given to the American Kidney Fund, 11921 Rockville Pike, Suite 300, Rockville, MD 20852. You may express condolences or share a memory of Darryl at www.hinsey-brown.com .