Ernol "Bud" Knapp

With Geraldine, his wife of 65 years, and sons Steve, Jerry and granddaughter Becky Morgan holding him, Ernol (Bud) Knapp died peacefully on Tuesday evening April 15 at 10:20. He was 10 days short of his 89th birthday. With a fresh ground cover of snow, the first Michigan resident ever inducted into the International Snowmobile Hall of Fame fired up his snowmobile and broke a new trail to Heaven. There he met up with his dogs Bullitt and Stripe and together they blazed a trail for others to follow. Bud was the kind of person that others would gravitate to and want to hear his many stories and jokes. The nurses and aides at Pilgrim Manor, where he spent his final three years, told the family of the many “Bud” stories and how he had made their work day much more pleasant. He gave them nicknames such as “Kid” and “Hey you” and “No name”. They shed tears as they said their final good byes to Bud whom they “adopted” as their own family member. Born on April 25 1925 he was a member of the “Greatest Generation”. During the depression he picked corn for a nickel a bushel and shoveled coal into the green house furnaces. He was driving truck at the age of 14. He held down many jobs to help support his family. A lasting memory came from when the family dog was diseased riddled and starving during the depression. The sheriff took the dog behind the garage and put it out of its misery. Thus began a life long love affair with animals with at least one dog or cat in his home for his lifetime. That work ethic followed him onto his adult life as he rose to the ranks of General Supervisor at General Motors on 36th Street. He still worked part time fixing cars and picking apples in the fall as he instilled core values of responsibility into his family. He balanced his work life perfectly with his personal and family life. He would attend his boys’ sporting events and then go back to the plant and stay overtime to make up for the time he missed. He was very proud of his family and extended family. For over 60 years his home was open to those friends and family members who needed a place to stay. There was just a six month gap without someone calling his house their home. From relatives to college students to exchange students from Germany and friends from Sweden and Austria to people who just needed a place to stay while they got their lives together, he never turned them down. There was always room at the Knapp dinner table for another person. He had given away a couple of cars and thousands of dollars to help others. He didn’t let the lack of a formal education stop him from becoming a writer for five snowmobile magazines. He had the world’s largest library on snowmobiles including manuals. He owned over 200 machines at one time was world renowned for his knowledge. One of his proudest moments was his election into the International Snowmobile Hall of Fame as a “Historian”. He produced a weekly television show called “Snowmobile Scene” along with several segments of the nationally known show “PM Magazine”. He was instrumental in starting the West Michigan Snowmobile Museum and Library in Cedar Springs. At one time the “Top of the Lake Snowmobile Museum” in Naubinway, Michigan was going to be named “The Bud Knapp Snowmobile Museum”. When he turned 17 he quit school to become a proud member of the United States Marine Corps fighting in the Pacific in World War II. He worked with the Native Americans on how to use the radios much like the movie “Wind Talkers” did. He proudly wore his Marine jacket and cap and displayed Marine memorabilia in his home. He took his family around the world including several vacations in Europe and nearly every state in the Union. He showed his family the world, yet reminded them to not forget your family and neighbors. He showed them the results of an honest day’s labor. He taught them to be tender and caring for animals and people. He taught them how to live a meaningful life that would benefit others. Based on the hundreds of people who have expressed their sympathies at his passing, he did it right! He leaves behind a wife of 65 years Geraldine, sons Steve (Marianne) of Port Charlotte, Florida and Jerry (Teresa- Pawl) of Grand Rapids. His extended family Maggie (Dave) Uthoff of Las Vegas and Sue (Casey) Sterk of Grand Rapids. Grand children Becky (Shane) Morgan of Jenison, Katie (Kyle) Richard of Traverse City, Alanna and Toya Knapp of Port Charlotte, Florida. Bryan (Karen) Knapp of Grand Rapids and Andrea (Mitchell) Scheckel of Grand Rapids. Also Shannon Uthoff of Orlando, Florida, Jamie (Jeff) King of Charlotte, North Carolina, Kimberly Uthoff of Las Vegas, Jessica Sterk and Amanda (Matt) Fox all from Denver. Great-grand children include Isabella and Bryce Scheckel of Grand Rapids and Roan Knapp from Port Charlotte, Florida. Bud leaves behind brothers Charles, Floyd (Jenny) and Larry (Linda), Sisters Lois and Shirley (Robert) Hansen. Sisters in law Barbara Knapp, Maxine Guilfoyle and Brother in Law Bernard (Laurie) Ruppert. Greeting Bud in Heaven will be his brother James (Corrine), Norman (Betty), Norris (Sharon) and Dallas, along with sister in law Lois Knapp. The family will receive friends Friday from 6-8 pm and Saturday from noon until time of service at 1:00 pm at the Bliss-Witters & Pike Funeral Home, Cedar Springs. In lieu of flowers, Bud would rather see a donation to The West Michigan Snowmobile Museum and Library, 13969 Francis Way Cedar Springs, MI 49319 or West Michigan Humane Society, or Top of the Lake Snowmobile Museum in Naubinway, Michigan. We thank you for taking the time to read about the passing of this wonderful husband, father, brother, grandfather and friend to everyone who knew him.