Obituaries & Guestbook

Imogene Knopp Memorial Folder

Our beloved mother, Imogene “Emmy’ Mary Knopp, age 86, of Sheboygan, Wisconsin entered eternal life on Saturday, May 2, 2020 at Terrace Place. She was born in Sheboygan Falls on May 4, 1933 to the late Hugo and Florence Schmidt Lorenz.

Emmy attended local schools in Sheboygan Falls and graduated from Sheboygan Falls High School in 1951. One of Emmy’s early jobs was serving as librarian at the Mead Public Library in Sheboygan where she was able to demonstrate her many creative and artistic talents. On June 25, 1955, she was united in marriage to her dear husband, Walter Erich Knopp. Walter preceded her in death on May 9, 2010. Emmy was a dedicated and loving full-time mother and took great pride in raising their eight children. While Emmy supported her husband in running the family business, she also started her own business selling Shaklee products. From 1974 until her death, she dedicated her life to Shaklee and rose to the senior-level position of Key Coordinator. Due to her health issues the last few years, she brought her son Wally into the Shaklee business. Her passion for health and the environment led her to share Shaklee Products with everyone she loved for over 45 years.

Emmy was a past member of St. Clement Catholic Church where she proudly enrolled all eight Knopp children. Emmy loved reading, painting, animals, and the outdoors, spending many wonderful days at the family cottages on Wilke’s Lake and Mole Lake in northern Wisconsin. The fun and memories created at these cottages with so many children, grandchildren, other relatives and countless cherished friends over 50 years is among Emmy’s and Walter’s most valuable legacies. Emmy shared her spirituality and inner strength in many ways. One of Emmy’s favorite sayings (from Grandma Lorenz) was “Bloom where you are planted.”

Survivors include her eight children, Kathy (Lito) Zabala of Milwaukee, WI, Wally (Cindy) Knopp of Sheboygan, Karen (Jim) White of Palatine, IL, David (Ann) Knopp of Carmel, IN, Dan Knopp of Milwaukee, WI, Tom (Andrea) Knopp, of Brookfield, WI, Joe (Heather) Knopp, of Richfield, WI, and Jennifer (Brian) Klimas of Lindenhurst, IL; 22 grandchildren (Ryan, Jordan, Meghan, Alisha, Nico, Lia, Gaby, Nate, Natalie, Connor, Kate, Cole, Steven, Erich, Sarah, Bobbie, Luke, Jackie, Joey, Kevin, Jason, Caroline),13 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild; five sisters, Marge (Bert) Dreps of Howards Grove, WI, Joanne (Harlan) Schwanek of Plymouth, WI, Mary (Bill) Reinl, of Sheboygan, Shirley Carpenter (Ken Anders) of Sheboygan Falls, Jane (Ken) DePagter, of Sheboygan and her brother, Ronald (Charlene) Lorenz, of Tampa, FL, and Nancy Lorenz of Sheboygan (sister-in-law). Emmy is further survived by many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Walter, and her brother, Tony Lorenz.

Due to current health and safety restrictions, a private graveside service for Emmy will be held on Friday, May 8, 2020. A celebration of Emmy’s life is being planned for some future date.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in Emmy’s name, to be donated to her favorite charities. A heart-felt thank you is extended to the caring staff at Terrace Place and the Sharon S. Richardson Community Hospice for the kindness and compassion they provided to Emmy. We also would like to thank her many doctors, especially Dr. Mancheski, Dr. Coulis, Dr. Deshpande and their staffs.

The Reinbold-Novak Funeral Home and St. Clement Church is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be expressed at www.reinboldfh.com