Laconia----Colonel Harold E. Knowlton, Jr. , 86, of 405 Mile Hill Road, died at the Laconia Rehabilitation Center on Saturday, December 28, 2013.
Colonel Knowlton was born May 30, 1927 in Ashland, N.H., the son of the late Ona (Whitcher) and Harold E. Knowlton, Sr. He was a longtime resident of Laconia and served in the U. S. Navy during WWII, receiving an Honorable Discharge on August 17, 1946.
On June 13, 1955, Colonel Knowlton enlisted as a trooper with the New Hampshire State Police. He resigned to take the appointment of Chief of the Laconia Police Department in April 1962 and served in that capacity until 1977, upon being nominated as Director the New Hampshire State Police. Colonel Knowlton was the fifth Director of the Division and is credited for instituting the State Police Motorcycle Unit in 1978, initially consisting of five men. He established the first Aircraft Unit for the State Police in 1980, a Cessna Airplane with one pilot assigned. He retired from the New Hampshire State Police in December 1981.
Survivors include his wife, Virginia M. (Billings) Knowlton, of Laconia; a son, Kenneth Knowlton, of Belmont and a stepson, Kenneth Cain, of Barrington; two grandsons, Kenneth Cain and Jonathan Cain; two sisters, Virginia Bull of Texas and Darnelle Clark of Pennsylvania and many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, Col. Knowlton was predeceased by four brothers and three sisters.
There will be no calling hours.
A private graveside service will be held at the family lot in Union Cemetery, Academy Street, Laconia, N.H. at a later date.
For those who wish, the family suggests that gifts in his memory may be made to The Hundred Club of New Hampshire, PO Box 23, Manchester, NH 03105-0023 or the New Hampshire State Police Benevolent Association, 33 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03305.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N.H. is assisting the family with the arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com.