The world became a brighter place in June of 1926 on a small family near Fullerton Nebraska when Richard Knopik was born into the loving family of Caroline and Frank Knopik. Richard was one of thirteen siblings. Sadly, Richard, beloved Dad, husband, father-in-law, grandpa, great grandpa, pop, brother, brother-in-law, and beloved Uncle Joe, passed away peacefully on October 19, 2024, at his home in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
From his youngest years until his death, Richard was the consummate jokester, prankster, and comedian. We think he knew every Polish joke ever told and gleefully told them on himself again and again. He derived endless fun from his fart machine and whoopie cushions that he subjected his visitors to. He was the quintessential Knopik and continually enriched the lives he touched with his willingness to help anyone, and his wit, joy, tall tales and humor.
Richard, a true patriot, personified our country’s Greatest Generation. He joined the Army just before his eighteenth birthday and served in the 6th Army, 867 battalion. His time in the Army at the immediate post WWII era was fraught with devastation, suffering and horrors of post-WWII Japan and those memories of a naïve 18–20-year-old farm boy thrust into war troubled him until the end of his life. While in the Army, he hitchhiked across the country to get from Aberdeen MD to Camp Beal CA after having his money for his bus trip stolen. It was a story he told often, and he always vowed he would find the person who took his money either here on earth or in his afterlife.
He was honorably discharged from the Army in 1947 as a sergeant. He joined the Navy in March of 1948 after several months of hauling garbage and feeding hogs in Chicago – it was no way to earn a good living, he said. During his Army and Navy years he traveled to and was stationed in the entire Pacific theater – Japan, Iwo Jima, Hong Kong, Guam, the Philippines, Singapore, New Zealand and Hawaii. He did multiple sea tours on the USS Hancock and USS Lexington. His Navy nickname was “BeBop”, which stuck forever. While in the Navy he was a flight engineer and tail gunner on the PB4Y-2 patrol bomber as part of the VA-28 Privateers. On his 24th birthday, the very day North Korea invaded South Korea, while on a reconnaissance mission over Korea, his plane was attacked by Chinese MiG fighter jets and the encounter was considered the first air combat of the Korean War. The pilot radioed to Richard that the Chinese must have known it was his birthday that day. He flew hundreds of missions and thousands of hours with the Navy Air Corp, including a mission of mercy in 1958 when he commandeered his Navy aircraft to bring a severely injured young girl to a trauma center without officially filing those passengers and landing in their flight plan. Later in life he often reunited with his PB4Y-2 Privateer brethren at their many reunions. He was eventually stationed at NAS Lemoore, CA, as a VA-122 flight instructor, and retired from the Navy in 1965. He went on to work as an aircraft and heavy equipment mechanic for the Navy in Lemoore through federal civil service and he always worked two jobs until his full retirement in 1983. He was a permanent/lifetime member of the US Navy Fleet Reserve and The American Legion.
Some of Richard’s military commendations included the WWII Victory Medal, Army of Occupation medal, Army and Navy Good Conduct medals, Navy Occupation Service Medal with clasp, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and Navy Air Crew wings.
Richard and Doris, his wife and love of his life, traveled extensively in their motor home for many years and he was proud to say he had traveled to all 50 states. “Our father taught us to be patriotic, hardworking, loyal, loving, honest and steadfast and always grateful for what we have.”
Richard was preceded in death by his wife, Doris; companion Patti Poe; his parents; brothers, Edward, Virgil, Lawrence, Louis, Frank and Jerome; sisters, Ethel, Elizabeth, Katherine, Lorraine and Mary; many of their spouses, and numerous nieces and nephews.
He is survived by his daughters, Diane Knopik Gomez (Michael) and Kay Lynn Knopik Phillips; grandchildren Christopher Gomez, Joshua Gomez (Maritza), Josh Brantley (Tish); stepchildren Stephen and Anthony Rice (Kathy), Rene LeGier; great grandchildren Jonah, Mia, Lucia, Viviana; sister Rose; and many, many more loving nieces and nephews.
Special mention and thanks to those compassionate people – nieces Louise Stopak (deceased) and Dee Eikmeier and nephew Ted Gdowski for their care and companionship while he was living in Columbus, NE.
A Graveside service is planned for Richard on Friday, April 25, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Highland Memorial Cemetery, 1827 College Drive, in Mt. Carmel, Illinois. The family has requested in lieu of flowers to consider a donation to your local hospice in Richard’s memory.
Condolences may be sent to www.short-cunninghamfh.com
Short-Cunningham Funeral Home is honored to serve Knopik family.
