 KNOWLES, RICHARD T. "DICK", LT. GEN. (RET) Memorial services will be held at Pearson Auditorium at the New Mexico Military Institute at 3:00 PM Thursday, September 26, for Lt. Gen. R. T. Knowles (ret) who passed away on September 18, 2013. Dr. Douglas Mills of the First United Methodist Church will officiate. Interment will follow at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery. A viewing will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 PM on Wednesday, September 25, at LaGrone Funeral Chapel, 900 South Main Street, Roswell, New Mexico. Dick Knowles was born in 1916 in Chicago, Illinois. He was preceded in death by his wife, Elizabeth Kay Knowles. He is survived by his daughters, Diane Buchwald, Katherine Buck, Rebecca Crosby and her sweetheart, Gregg Brown, his son, Richard J. Knowles and his wife, Sandra Clinton, and his stepsons, Stanley Warfield Crosby III and Steven Wood Chaney and his wife Laurie. He is also survived by nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Dick left the University of Illinois to join the army in 1942. His military career spanned more than three decades. He retired in 1974 as a Lieutenant General, having served in three wars. After his retirement, Dick moved to Roswell, New Mexico, opened an antique store, and ultimately served for 16 years as State Representative for District 57. Dick's life spanned nearly a century of remarkable experiences, ranging from remembering the first time he saw an automobile, seeing Frank Capone's funeral parade in Chicago in 1924, training as a young officer candidate in the ROTC on horses, captaining the fencing team for the University of Illinois that contended for a national championship, and witnessing an atomic bomb test in Nevada. He went to silent movies for a nickel and had an email account. He was known for his open mind, quick wit, and outgoing personality. While his military and civilian accomplishments are too numerous to mention in detail, he was awarded the Silver Star for Valor during the Korean Conflict and Congressional Medal of Honor Society Distinguished Citizen Award in 1994. The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be made to The NMMI Foundation, Inc., 101 W. College Blvd., Roswell, NM 88201. Condolences maybe made online at www.lagronefuneralchapels.com Arrangements are under the personal directions of the professionals at LaGrone Funeral Chapel.
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