"Palestine Herald-Press"
25 Oct 2007
William McMillan Knowles, passed away on Oct. 23, 2007 in Palestine, Texas, after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.
Bill was born Feb. 10, 1942, in Palestine. He was Valedictorian of his Palestine High School Class of 1960 and a National Merit Finalist. He went on to attend the London School of Economics and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Houston. He worked as a pilot for the State of Texas and was a flight instructor while attending the University of Houston.
Bill served in the United States Army in Vietnam. He was the top graduate in the Army Medical Field Service School. He received the Bronze Star Medal while serving as Captain and Company Commander in Vietnam.
After his service in the Army, Bill worked as a ski patrolman in Steamboat Springs, CO, and in the Securite des Pistes in Courcheval, France. He was a certified Avalanche Control expert with the U.S. Forest Service.
Bill was the past Chairman of the Board of the former First National Bank of Palestine, past president of the Palestine Area Chamber of Commerce, past chairman of the Palestine YMCA, past chairman of Palestine Regional Medical Center, and Councilor of the Texas A&M Research Foundation. He also served on the Texas Department of Transportation Aviation Advisory Board as its chairman, 2000 and 2007, in addition to serving on the board from 1991 to 2007. He was currently working as a financial advisor at A.G. Edwards in Palestine.
Bill loved flying having more than 8,900 hours of flight time. In addition, he was an A&P mechanic. He was a boat builder and sailor, a diver, a marathon runner.
A grateful lover of life, he was always interested in learning new things and meeting new people.
He was preceded in death by his father, William McMillan "Mack" Knowles; mother, Jean Dilley Knowles; and brother, Dr. David Dilley Knowles.
Bill is survived by his wife of 35 years, Mary Lindsay Knowles; sons, Capt. Ian Lindsay Knowles U.S.M.C. and wife Sonia Travi Knowles, Midshipman Alexander Daniel Knowles U.S.M.M.A. and fiancé, Jennifer Young; as well as many friends, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Services were held on Friday, Oct. 26, 2007, at St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Palestine with interment at East Hill Cemetery. The family received visitors after the service at their home. The family requested that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Palestine, TX.
"Palestine Herald-Press"
25 Oct 2007
William McMillan Knowles, passed away on Oct. 23, 2007 in Palestine, Texas, after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.
Bill was born Feb. 10, 1942, in Palestine. He was Valedictorian of his Palestine High School Class of 1960 and a National Merit Finalist. He went on to attend the London School of Economics and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Houston. He worked as a pilot for the State of Texas and was a flight instructor while attending the University of Houston.
Bill served in the United States Army in Vietnam. He was the top graduate in the Army Medical Field Service School. He received the Bronze Star Medal while serving as Captain and Company Commander in Vietnam.
After his service in the Army, Bill worked as a ski patrolman in Steamboat Springs, CO, and in the Securite des Pistes in Courcheval, France. He was a certified Avalanche Control expert with the U.S. Forest Service.
Bill was the past Chairman of the Board of the former First National Bank of Palestine, past president of the Palestine Area Chamber of Commerce, past chairman of the Palestine YMCA, past chairman of Palestine Regional Medical Center, and Councilor of the Texas A&M Research Foundation. He also served on the Texas Department of Transportation Aviation Advisory Board as its chairman, 2000 and 2007, in addition to serving on the board from 1991 to 2007. He was currently working as a financial advisor at A.G. Edwards in Palestine.
Bill loved flying having more than 8,900 hours of flight time. In addition, he was an A&P mechanic. He was a boat builder and sailor, a diver, a marathon runner.
A grateful lover of life, he was always interested in learning new things and meeting new people.
He was preceded in death by his father, William McMillan "Mack" Knowles; mother, Jean Dilley Knowles; and brother, Dr. David Dilley Knowles.
Bill is survived by his wife of 35 years, Mary Lindsay Knowles; sons, Capt. Ian Lindsay Knowles U.S.M.C. and wife Sonia Travi Knowles, Midshipman Alexander Daniel Knowles U.S.M.M.A. and fiancé, Jennifer Young; as well as many friends, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Services were held on Friday, Oct. 26, 2007, at St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Palestine with interment at East Hill Cemetery. The family received visitors after the service at their home. The family requested that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Palestine, TX.
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