Deloris Knowles
April 22, 1926 — July 3, 2009
Deloris A. K. Knowles Denison, Iowa
Deloris "Tootie" Arlene Kern Knowles, 83, died Friday, July 3 at her home in Denison of multiple organ failure after a long illness. She was born April 22, 1926 to Anthony and Susan "Kitty" Kern in Oelwein, Iowa. Anthony died in 1943 and Kitty died in 1985. Tootie was the wife of the late Richard R. Knowles, long-time publisher of the Denison Bulletin and Review. She is survived by sons Richard, Gregg, Brad, and Mark. In addition to her parents and her husband, she was preceded in death by her three sisters, Elizabeth Lippert, Marguerite Bashara and Luella Robinson. Tootie met Richard Knowles in the fourth grade, and they later shared their first kiss on the tracks that brought Chicago Great Northwestern trains to Oelwein?s massive repair shops for which the city was known. Tootie married Dick on September 12, 1945 in Oelwein, after having graduated from Oelwein High School earlier that year. Their first home was at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center near Chicago. After his military service, Dick and Tootie returned to Oelwein, where he was employed by the railroad and Oelwein Daily Register. In 1954, they moved to Denison, where Dick became the publisher and eventually owner of the Bulletin and Review. He sold the newspaper company in 1998. Dick and Tootie were married 63 years until he died on February 14, 2009. Her first job was as a nurse?s aide at Mercy Hospital in Oelwein as a teenager. She worked as an administrative assistant, performed want ad sales, and delivered tearsheets to advertisers, making her the face of the newspaper in Denison for 45 years. She also worked briefly as a clerk for Don Binning in his grocery store and as a salesperson for Ralph Borcherding at Anthony?s Department Store in Denison. Tootie?s number one priority was her family and she supported her husband in all his business and community building endeavors. In the role as his main supporter and because of her belief in working for the greater good, she was a volunteer on many worthy causes, helping contact other citizens to participate in meetings and acting as a fundraiser. She was honored by the Denison Rotary Club as a Paul Harris Fellow for her volunteerism. She was also a member of the Crawford County Memorial Hospital Ladies Auxiliary, the United Methodist Church Ladies, Eastern Star, The Denison Antique Club, and Denisons Pinochle Club. She was a Cub Scout Den Mother and a Denison Athletic and Music Booster Club member. Tootie loved to bake. Her specialties were breads, pies, cakes, cookies and, especially, cinnamon buns. She was also an expert homemaker who always cooked a complete supper even while working fulltime. She was devoted to raising her sons - who willingly provided feedback on her cooking and baking skills. Tootie lived to dance. Dick and Tootie were graceful partners on Denison ballrooms. She also loved to whistle. She whistled while she shopped grocery aisles, as she drove (cautiously) and as she did housework. She often rode a bicycle as a young adult. She was a dog lover. As the youngest girl in her family she was adored by her sisters, and with the help of her oldest sister "Libby" Lippert, who was married to a successful Oelwein building contractor, was able to participate in activities that others were denied by the economic hardship created by the Great Depression. She took Hawaiian guitar lessons and became an accomplished tap dancer. Tootie?s high school year book read, "She sees the world through rose colored glasses," which was true on both a literal and figurative level. One of Tootie?s true passions was hunting for bargains. She liked garage sales, yard sales, moving sales, estate sales, rummage sales, attic sales, clearance sales, tag sales, white elephant sales, estate auctions, second-hand clothing stores, bargain shops, thrift shops, vintage clothing stores, flea markets, curio shops, farmer?s markets, and fruit stands. She also liked pick-your-own fruit and vegetable farms. It has often been said that it wasn?t an official garage sale until Tootie had arrived. Tootie was an avid antique collector with a special interest in dolls. She also was shopkeeper at Grandma?s Attic, a Denison antique store. She loved Denison?s Cat and Dog Day and Super Bowl Sunday, because it has become a day to shop for bargains. Meat cutters in all of Denison?s grocery stores knew Tootie by name ? at least, that is, her nickname. She also was a couponer and a rebater. Tootie liked to sit on her front porch with a beer (warm) and a cigarette (unfiltered). She enjoyed a good laugh, which she often punctuated with her signature expression: "Oh, laws!" She was open to divergent opinions and cultures. She liked virtually everyone she met and virtually everyone who met Tootie liked her. To her, everyone was beautiful. Tootie was a true champion of those less fortunate than her. And there was no pretension to Tootie. Other survivors include fi
Deloris "Tootie" Arlene Kern Knowles, 83, died Friday, July 3 at her home in Denison of multiple organ failure after a long illness. She was born April 22, 1926 to Anthony and Susan "Kitty" Kern in Oelwein, Iowa. Anthony died in 1943 and Kitty died in 1985. Tootie was the wife of the late Richard R. Knowles, long-time publisher of the Denison Bulletin and Review. She is survived by sons Richard, Gregg, Brad, and Mark. In addition to her parents and her husband, she was preceded in death by her three sisters, Elizabeth Lippert, Marguerite Bashara and Luella Robinson. Tootie met Richard Knowles in the fourth grade, and they later shared their first kiss on the tracks that brought Chicago Great Northwestern trains to Oelwein?s massive repair shops for which the city was known. Tootie married Dick on September 12, 1945 in Oelwein, after having graduated from Oelwein High School earlier that year. Their first home was at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center near Chicago. After his military service, Dick and Tootie returned to Oelwein, where he was employed by the railroad and Oelwein Daily Register. In 1954, they moved to Denison, where Dick became the publisher and eventually owner of the Bulletin and Review. He sold the newspaper company in 1998. Dick and Tootie were married 63 years until he died on February 14, 2009. Her first job was as a nurse?s aide at Mercy Hospital in Oelwein as a teenager. She worked as an administrative assistant, performed want ad sales, and delivered tearsheets to advertisers, making her the face of the newspaper in Denison for 45 years. She also worked briefly as a clerk for Don Binning in his grocery store and as a salesperson for Ralph Borcherding at Anthony?s Department Store in Denison. Tootie?s number one priority was her family and she supported her husband in all his business and community building endeavors. In the role as his main supporter and because of her belief in working for the greater good, she was a volunteer on many worthy causes, helping contact other citizens to participate in meetings and acting as a fundraiser. She was honored by the Denison Rotary Club as a Paul Harris Fellow for her volunteerism. She was also a member of the Crawford County Memorial Hospital Ladies Auxiliary, the United Methodist Church Ladies, Eastern Star, The Denison Antique Club, and Denisons Pinochle Club. She was a Cub Scout Den Mother and a Denison Athletic and Music Booster Club member. Tootie loved to bake. Her specialties were breads, pies, cakes, cookies and, especially, cinnamon buns. She was also an expert homemaker who always cooked a complete supper even while working fulltime. She was devoted to raising her sons - who willingly provided feedback on her cooking and baking skills. Tootie lived to dance. Dick and Tootie were graceful partners on Denison ballrooms. She also loved to whistle. She whistled while she shopped grocery aisles, as she drove (cautiously) and as she did housework. She often rode a bicycle as a young adult. She was a dog lover. As the youngest girl in her family she was adored by her sisters, and with the help of her oldest sister "Libby" Lippert, who was married to a successful Oelwein building contractor, was able to participate in activities that others were denied by the economic hardship created by the Great Depression. She took Hawaiian guitar lessons and became an accomplished tap dancer. Tootie?s high school year book read, "She sees the world through rose colored glasses," which was true on both a literal and figurative level. One of Tootie?s true passions was hunting for bargains. She liked garage sales, yard sales, moving sales, estate sales, rummage sales, attic sales, clearance sales, tag sales, white elephant sales, estate auctions, second-hand clothing stores, bargain shops, thrift shops, vintage clothing stores, flea markets, curio shops, farmer?s markets, and fruit stands. She also liked pick-your-own fruit and vegetable farms. It has often been said that it wasn?t an official garage sale until Tootie had arrived. Tootie was an avid antique collector with a special interest in dolls. She also was shopkeeper at Grandma?s Attic, a Denison antique store. She loved Denison?s Cat and Dog Day and Super Bowl Sunday, because it has become a day to shop for bargains. Meat cutters in all of Denison?s grocery stores knew Tootie by name ? at least, that is, her nickname. She also was a couponer and a rebater. Tootie liked to sit on her front porch with a beer (warm) and a cigarette (unfiltered). She enjoyed a good laugh, which she often punctuated with her signature expression: "Oh, laws!" She was open to divergent opinions and cultures. She liked virtually everyone she met and virtually everyone who met Tootie liked her. To her, everyone was beautiful. Tootie was a true champion of those less fortunate than her. And there was no pretension to Tootie. Other survivors include fi
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