Joseph Louis Knopf, Jr, 67 of Oxnard, CA, passed away on Tuesday, April 7, 2020, after a short battle with cancer.
A 61-year resident of El Rio, Joe attended Rio Plaza Elementary, Rio Del Valle Jr. High, and Rio Mesa High School, graduating in 1970. He then attended Ventura Jr. College and Fresno State, graduating in 1976. He was a Boy Scout (Troop 241) achieving Eagle Scout status, and an El Rio Little League player during the 1960s.
Joe retired from the Oxnard Union High School District in 2016 (he really loved working for the district). Prior to that he was employed by Oxnard Parks and Recreation, Pacific Beverage Company, and was even part owner in a local neighborhood bar.
He enjoyed sports, was a pretty good golfer, a lifelong Rams fan and a dedicated Rio Mesa Spartans supporter (go Red and Black!).
Joe was intelligent, had great organizational skills, had an amazing memory and was fun loving. We were reminiscing just last week about how during Santa Ana wind days, years ago, his brilliant idea for fun was to take an old parachute that we found in the garage from dad's Navy squadron days and drag it across the street to Rio Plaza Elementary School. The wind would inflate the parachute and with our great friends the Schultz's we'd take turns holding on tight and being dragged across the school yard. So fun, unless you hit a rock or sprinkler!
Joe is preceded in death by dad Joseph Knopf Sr, mom Grace Knopf (nee Nowlin), sister Frances Houle, and brother David Fleming. He is survived by sister Barbara Contreras (Tony) of Oxnard, brother Charles Fleming (Trina) of Seattle, WA, very special aunt Johanna Lockwood of Henderson, NV, very special cousin Paul Edmunds of Carpinteria, CA, numerous extended family members, and his best friend and brother-from-another-mother John Byrom of Oxnard, CA.
A special thank you to the doctors, nurses and support staff at Kaiser Oxnard and Kaiser oncology in Los Angles for their kindness, sincerity and great teamwork. What a great group of people.
A celebration of Joe's life will be held at a later date when large gatherings are advisable.
Memorials may be given in Joe's name to the American Cancer Society.
Arrangements are under the direction of the JOSEPH P. REARDON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICE, Ventura.