Obituary for David Kevin Knowlton
It is with heartbreak that the family of David Kevin Knowlton announce his passing at home in Ann Arbor on Friday, February 18, 2022, at the age of 61, after a three-and-a-half-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Dave is survived by Janet, his wife of 40 years; his parents, Floyd H. and Maggie Knowlton of Rogersville TN; his sister, Myra (Jon) of Reisterstown MD; his five children, Linda Jo (Rick) Foody of Chicago, John of Ann Arbor, Timothy (Corinne) and Megan of Portland OR, and Charles of LA; and his grandchildren, Micah, Hadassah, and Charis Foody.
Dave graduated from Avon High School in Connecticut in 1978 and attended Duke University, where he joined the Pika fraternity and cemented life-long friendships with Budweiser-keg-loving cohorts. It was also at Duke that Dave met Janet Dee Vavra, marrying her the day after graduation in the Duke Chapel in May 1982. After three years in Washington DC, he embarked on a career-changing odyssey when his employer Price Waterhouse moved the family to Tokyo, Japan. During his business career, Dave additionally worked for Anheuser Busch in Tokyo, St. Louis, and Hong Kong; Pillsbury/General Mills in Hong Kong and Minneapolis; New Zealand Milk-Fonterra in Wellington and Auckland; Barilla in Chicago; Dawn Foods in Jackson MI; Stella & Chewy’s Pet Foods in Milwaukee; and Nielsen-Massey Vanillas in Chicago; along the way, the family settled in Ann Arbor, MI.
Dave’s career specialty was the financial side of the international food and beverage industry; he rose to Chief Financial Officer and was involved with day-to-day finances, business forecasting, branding, pricing, and mergers and acquisitions, all while keeping his coworkers entertained with his quick wit and irreverence. Dave had boundless energy, which allowed him to work in many places with multiple companies, all while raising five children across several continents. Dave was a great leader and mentor to his team, a good listener, and he strived to raise others up. He was unfailingly loyal to his companies—buying competitors’ products was strictly forbidden, be it beer or cereal. Even after Janet tired of third-world travel, Dave relished his chance to work in Madagascar and to uplift the vanilla farmers who supply Nielsen-Massey. He always took calls from his children, even when it meant ducking out of a meeting, and his advice was practical, down-to-earth, and often what they needed, whether they knew it or not.
Dave’s sense of adventure defined him. What greater adventure than living overseas, traveling around the world, and living with five unruly kids? He loved exploring new cities and cultures, could order a beer in nearly ten languages, and loved ethnic food—the spicier the better. Dave loved sports; in college he went to the NCAA finals for fencing, he joined company softball teams, and later joined multiple fantasy teams—they all fed his competitive spirit. Dave loved to share his adventures as well, and planned special trips to initiate friends to Duke basketball in Cameron Indoor Stadium, the Oktoberfest in Munich, and taking his adult children glamping on the Greenstone-Routeburn trail in New Zealand—easily his favorite hike.
Grandkids brought out the softer side of Dave; entirely comfortable with children, he dandled and played peek-a-boo with the babies, then more active games as they grew. In recent years, a perfect summer day was at Morgan Creek Farm in Ann Arbor; tractor-work in the morning, cannonballs in the pool by afternoon, and grilling sate for dinner in the evening—sharing his favorite foods with his favorite people. Dave was easily the life of the party—his humor and generosity were his true hallmarks. His greatness of spirit will be dearly missed.
A memorial service for Dave has been scheduled for 3pm with visitation beforehand at 2pm Saturday, March 19, 2022, at The Carleton Hotel, 1110 Pleasant St., Oak Park, IL 60202. A reception will follow. We warmly invite you to this memorial and expect that it will be recorded; contact the family for more information.
Please contact the Carleton Hotel for details on the complementary parking and hotel rooms for the Knowlton Memorial.
A second memorial will be held in Rogersville, Tennessee in the late spring, date to be announced.
Memorial gifts in honor of Dave may be made to:
National Parks Conservation Association online HERE.
OR
Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
By Mail: 1500 Rosecrans Ave., Ste. 200, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Or online HERE.
Dave graduated from Avon High School in Connecticut in 1978 and attended Duke University, where he joined the Pika fraternity and cemented life-long friendships with Budweiser-keg-loving cohorts. It was also at Duke that Dave met Janet Dee Vavra, marrying her the day after graduation in the Duke Chapel in May 1982. After three years in Washington DC, he embarked on a career-changing odyssey when his employer Price Waterhouse moved the family to Tokyo, Japan. During his business career, Dave additionally worked for Anheuser Busch in Tokyo, St. Louis, and Hong Kong; Pillsbury/General Mills in Hong Kong and Minneapolis; New Zealand Milk-Fonterra in Wellington and Auckland; Barilla in Chicago; Dawn Foods in Jackson MI; Stella & Chewy’s Pet Foods in Milwaukee; and Nielsen-Massey Vanillas in Chicago; along the way, the family settled in Ann Arbor, MI.
Dave’s career specialty was the financial side of the international food and beverage industry; he rose to Chief Financial Officer and was involved with day-to-day finances, business forecasting, branding, pricing, and mergers and acquisitions, all while keeping his coworkers entertained with his quick wit and irreverence. Dave had boundless energy, which allowed him to work in many places with multiple companies, all while raising five children across several continents. Dave was a great leader and mentor to his team, a good listener, and he strived to raise others up. He was unfailingly loyal to his companies—buying competitors’ products was strictly forbidden, be it beer or cereal. Even after Janet tired of third-world travel, Dave relished his chance to work in Madagascar and to uplift the vanilla farmers who supply Nielsen-Massey. He always took calls from his children, even when it meant ducking out of a meeting, and his advice was practical, down-to-earth, and often what they needed, whether they knew it or not.
Dave’s sense of adventure defined him. What greater adventure than living overseas, traveling around the world, and living with five unruly kids? He loved exploring new cities and cultures, could order a beer in nearly ten languages, and loved ethnic food—the spicier the better. Dave loved sports; in college he went to the NCAA finals for fencing, he joined company softball teams, and later joined multiple fantasy teams—they all fed his competitive spirit. Dave loved to share his adventures as well, and planned special trips to initiate friends to Duke basketball in Cameron Indoor Stadium, the Oktoberfest in Munich, and taking his adult children glamping on the Greenstone-Routeburn trail in New Zealand—easily his favorite hike.
Grandkids brought out the softer side of Dave; entirely comfortable with children, he dandled and played peek-a-boo with the babies, then more active games as they grew. In recent years, a perfect summer day was at Morgan Creek Farm in Ann Arbor; tractor-work in the morning, cannonballs in the pool by afternoon, and grilling sate for dinner in the evening—sharing his favorite foods with his favorite people. Dave was easily the life of the party—his humor and generosity were his true hallmarks. His greatness of spirit will be dearly missed.
A memorial service for Dave has been scheduled for 3pm with visitation beforehand at 2pm Saturday, March 19, 2022, at The Carleton Hotel, 1110 Pleasant St., Oak Park, IL 60202. A reception will follow. We warmly invite you to this memorial and expect that it will be recorded; contact the family for more information.
Please contact the Carleton Hotel for details on the complementary parking and hotel rooms for the Knowlton Memorial.
A second memorial will be held in Rogersville, Tennessee in the late spring, date to be announced.
Memorial gifts in honor of Dave may be made to:
National Parks Conservation Association online HERE.
OR
Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
By Mail: 1500 Rosecrans Ave., Ste. 200, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Or online HERE.