Rev. Carl R. Knitt, age 85, of Oshkosh, was born to eternal life Monday, July 23, 2018.
On January 5, 1933 Carl was born in Clintonville, WI to William and Carrie (Van Ahn) Knitt. He married LaVonne Miller at Peace Lutheran Church in Menomonie, WI on September 13, 1957. As a young man he put aside his desire to pursue biology as a career and trusted the call of Christ on his heart as he attended Wartburg College and then Wartburg Seminary to become an ordained Lutheran minister. Carl served as a pastor at parishes in Litchville and Grand Rapids, ND; Plymouth and Random Lake, WI; Coatsburg, IL: Flanagan, IL and Oshkosh, WI. He also worked alongside his wife, LaVonne in “The Second Handlers, LTD,” formed in 1979, which became, and still is, the largest estate sale business in the Fox Valley. That business continues to thrive under the care and expertise of their son, Tony and their faithful employees. He was fiercely devoted to his family and all their pursuits, faithfully attending and cheering on anyone of his children or grandchildren at any activity, anytime, anywhere. He had an amazing ability to connect with people at a moment’s notice with a warmth that was contagious, quirky and kind. People would tell him their life stories as he listened and encouraged them. “There are no strangers. . . only friends we have not yet met,” was his unofficial life’s motto. Perhaps you were one of those friends! Carl was honored on the 60th anniversary of his ordination as a minister in May 2018 and we are grateful for those he has baptized, married, counseled, laid to rest and continued to serve until his death.
He is survived by two sons and their wives, Robert and Sandy Knitt, Tony and Nikki Knitt; one daughter and her husband, Jill and James Geracie; his grandchildren: Joshua, Peter, Katie, Daniel(special friend Callie Burns), Olivia, Rachel, Rebekah, Elena, Samuel, and one brother and his wife Leon and Joyce Knitt along with many other beloved family members and friends. He was preceded in death by his wife, his parents, one brother Donald Knitt, and one sister Delores Knitt.
Funeral services for Carl will be held on Friday August 3, 2018 at Calvary Lutheran Church, 2580 W. 9th Ave, Oshkosh at 11 a.m. Visitation for Carl will be held on Thursday August 2, 2018 at Konrad-Behlman Funeral Home-Westside, 100 Lake Pointe Dr from 4-7:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials given to the family will be dedicated to establish a living well in Uganda through the ministry, Food for the Hungry.
The family would like to thank Bethel Home, Aurora at Home Hospice, Dr. Devermann and the staff at Aurora Medical Center for all their loving care and support.