Irene H. Knaack

Irene Wilma Alice Edna Knaack (nee Harnisch) met her Lord and Savior on the night of her death, Sunday, May 15, 2016. Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 19th from 10:30 AM until the time of the funeral service at 11:30 AM at the Union Church of Lake Bluff, IL with interment following at Pine View Memorial Park in Beach Park, IL.

The youngest child of Fred and Lillie B. (nee Zart) Harnisch, Irene was born in Chicago’s south side 88 years ago on September 13, 1927. There she attended Trinity Lutheran Church where she taught Sunday School and sang in the choir for both German and English services although she did not speak German as did her bi-lingual parents. Irene married Howard Stanley Knaack on February 18, 1950 at Immanuel Lutheran Church on South Houston Avenue in Chicago. They moved to Howard’s home town of Lake Bluff, IL in 1954 where Irene enjoyed life as a wife, mother, homemaker, and bookkeeper for Howard’s radio frequency monitoring business, Radio Aides. After his death in September 1980, Irene was employed for over a decade in the business office of CMcE LTD in Lake Bluff. A member of the Union Church of Lake Bluff for 62 years, Irene taught Sunday School, and was active in the Women’s Guild and Couples Supper Club. She also founded the Women’s Auxiliary of the Libertyville Gun Club where Howard was an expert marksman.

Irene is preceded in death by her parents; husband of 30 years; siblings and their spouses Frank C. (Mary) Harnisch, Charles M. (Violet) Harnisch , John (Lucille) Harnisch, and Clara (John) Lucas; nephews Martin G. Harnisch and Charles M. Harnisch; and, her daughter’s step-daughter’s child, Natalie Camerato. She is survived by her children Charles Henry (Barbara) Knaack II and their sons Joshua Howard Stanley Knaack  and Aaron Michael Knaack; Harold Frank (Joann) Knaack and their daughter Alison Knaack (Ryan) McIntire; and Linda Ruth Knaack Hardy and her step-daughter Natasha Lynn Hardy (Jeff) Camerato and their sons Salvatore Camerato  and Carmine Camerato, step-son Petty Officer Third Class Ronnie Thomas Hardy, Jr. – US Navy, and daughter Shawna Irene Hardy Holland and her children Shailene Loren Hardy, Jep Jay Holland and Brent James Holland. She is also survived by several generations of nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Union Church of Lake Bluff, 525 E. Prospect Ave. Lake Bluff, IL  60044.