Ray Knoll

Raymond R. "Ray" Knoll, 75, of Jackson passed away Saturday, May 11, 2019, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.

He was born Nov. 20, 1943, in St. Louis to Raymond A. and Josephine Boncek Knoll. He and Jo Ann Hoxworth were married Jan. 5, 1988, in Jackson.

He was a graduate of Bishop DuBourg High School in St. Louis. He honorably served in the U.S. Army from May 14, 1965, to April 26, 1967. He served in Germany as a cook during the Vietnam War.

Ray had a diverse career and a passion for enjoying the outdoors. He worked as a land surveyor, newspaper circulation manager, pipe fitter and master journeyman plumber and retired as a farmer and an owner-operator of a trucking company. He liked to fish, camp, boat, bowl and play tennis, watch St. Louis Cardinals baseball, play pitch and go duck and dove hunting.

He had an innate ability to fix anything, loved a good joke and enjoyed feeding people at church or home. Ray always shared a great smile and gave the best hugs.

Ray was a member of St. James United Church of Christ in Tilsit (church council president from 1991 to 2019), Altenthal-Joerns American Legion Post 158 and Cape Girardeau Breakfast Optimist Club.

Brother Raymond Knoll was a proud member of St. Mark's Lodge No. 93 for over 47 years. He was initiated into the Mysteries of Freemasonry on Nov. 10, 1970, passed to the Degree of FellowCraft on Sept. 14, 1971, and finally was raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason on Oct. 26, 1971.

His surviving family includes Jo Ann Knoll of Jackson; Greg (Kumiko) Macke and children, Ewan and Yohanna of Sherwood, Oregon; Christopher (Jenny) Macke and children, Sydney and Cole of Cape Girardeau; Vickie (Dennis) Ruch of Millersville; Trisha Camp and children, Madison and Liam Camp of Jackson; Cory (Courtney) Ruch and children, Levi and Titus Ruch of Jackson; Ethan Ruch and special friend, Leann Nelson of West Des Moines, Iowa; Terri (Terry) Fredrick of Springfield, Missouri, and daughter, Dana Scritchfield of Boulder, Colorado; Josephine (Darrell) Janis of St. Charles, Missouri; Judi Skyles of Wentzville, Missouri; Paula (Sam) Rodgers of High Ridge, Missouri; Christine (Steve) Willard of High Ridge; Antionette (Steve) Mauch of Warrenton, Missouri; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Deceased family members include his parents; Elizabeth Jane McMurtrey Knoll; and Edwin Kaup.

The Rev. Jim Schultz will officiate a memorial service at 11:30 a.m. Sunday at St. James United Church of Christ in Tilsit. Military honors will be observed following the ceremony.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may take the form of contributions to St James United Church of Christ in Tilsit.

Cremation was accorded by McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.