Henry Lawrence Knabe

Henry Lawrence Knabe, 69, of Muenster followed the angels to his eternal home with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on October 9, 2022 in Gainesville. He passed away peacefully after a lengthy illness with his family at his side. A rosary and vigil were held October 12, officiated by Deacon Gary Endres. Mass of Christian burial was held on Thursday, October 13, 2022 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church followed by interment in Sacred Heart Cemetery with Fr. Joe Keating officiating. Services were under the direction of Scott Funeral Home of Muenster. Henry was born on June 18, 1953, in Muenster to Albert “Little Buck” and Francis “Betsy” Knabe as the 7th of 10 children. He was a lifelong member of Sacred Heart Parish. “Heinie” spent his childhood helping in the family garden and fishing and hunting with his dad and siblings. Before doing anything fun like fishing, he would often be required to chop weeds in the garden. He loved fishing, so he chopped a lot of weeds. Like many in Muenster, he worked at the cheese plant for a time. He hauled hay in the summer which proved to be a good workout, as he found success in football as a running back known as “Goose” for the Muenster Hornets. According to longtime friend Lucho, he occasionally gave free “flying lessons” to the “B Team”. He graduated in 1972, and eventually found his way to employment in the oil field. On July 13, 1980, he met the love of his life, Marlen Hill of Hereford, when he, as a random passerby, stopped to help her brother-in-law work on a vehicle. They wed six weeks later on August 23, 1980. They welcomed a son, Douglas, in late 1981. On August 23, 1983, they renewed their vows at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. In mid-1991, they were blessed with a daughter, Stacie. The oil field crash of the mid eighties lead Henry to seek work in construction. A work accident in 1986 left him with a back injury that bothered him for the rest of his life. As his parents aged, they shared their backyard garden space and allowed Henry to plant a garden of his own. This provided an enjoyable hobby and a bounty of fresh vegetables for the family. While working hard to help his family, he always found time to take his loved ones fishing. He was known to be respectful of property, resulting in access to some prime fishing holes, where his family happily joined him to help bring home a mess of fish for dinner. He could often be found spending late nights tending the smoker in pursuit of the perfect brisket. The heartiness of his soup amazed some coworkers. He often took extra to share, particularly in winter. He was an avid fan of Muenster Hornet sports, especially football, and often attended games with his brother Andy. When he couldn’t go to a game, he would listen to the game or watch the livestream if available. He was overjoyed to watch the Big Red win their first state championship in football. Henry had a soft heart for all animals. While a number of the family’s cats were “his” over the years, none captured his heart quite like his beloved Hooter, a cat that he had for 19 years and who passed away a mere six weeks before Henry. Henry could often be found snoozing with Hooter asleep on his lap. They were inseparable. Mr. Knabe is survived by wife of forty-two years Marlen Knabe of Muenster, son Doug Knabe of San Antonio, daughter and son-in-law Stacie Knabe and David “Reven” Cooke of Muenster, son-of-his-heart Dan Knabe and wife Melonee of Denton, sister and brother-in-law Margie and Henry Starke of Muenster, sister-in-law Shonna Knabe of Iowa Park, sister-in-law Barbara Ann Kirkpatrick of Saint Jo, brother-in-law David Kennedy of Whitesboro, sister Betty Gibbs of Muenster, brother Andy Knabe of Muenster, brother and sister-in-law Eddie and Debbie Knabe, brother-in-law Doug Burr of Whitesboro, sister and brother-in-law Clara and Jan Lutkenhaus of Muenster and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Augie Knabe, sisters Mary Kennedy, Rose Ann Knabe and Gerrie Burr, brother-in-law JD Gibbs and nieces Gina Capps and Victoria Kennedy.

Henry Lawrence Knabe

June 18, 1953 - October 9, 2022