Evelyn L. Knop, 87, Glenwood
Evelyn Lorraine (Hensley) Goy Knop, age 87 of Glenwood, formerly of Malvern, died at Linnwood Estates in Glenwood on April 10, 2009. Funeral services were held Tuesday, April 14, 2009, at Hertz Funeral Home in Glenwood with Pastor Gordon Scott officiating. Burial was in the Malvern Cemetery.
One of two children of Mabel Adele (Short) Hensley and Victor Archie Hensley, she was born on her parent’s farm near Salem, S.D., on Oct. 7, 1921. She was 13 years old, when in 1934, a severe drought forced the family to move from Salem to Malvern. Evelyn’s father then worked for several area farmers. In 1938, she graduated from the Malvern Community High School, and following school, worked for Dr. Shonka in Malvern as his receptionist.
On July 20, 1941, she and Richard Dudley Goy of Tabor, were married at Rock Port, Mo. They made their home on the Fred Durbin farm west of Malvern and were blessed with two sons, Rodney Allen and Richard Lanny. In 1946, they purchased the Conoco Bulk Plant in Malvern, forming the Goy Oil Company, which together they developed into one of the most successful dealerships in the state. The couple were very active in the community. They played a prominent part in Malvern’s observance of the centennial and hosted the annual Halloween masquerade dance, bringing a large crowd to the Malvern Community Building each year.
While she enjoyed working with her husband and the business, her life was centered around her family. She was a member of the Malvern United Methodist Church and the HSC Club, the Glenwood Saddle Club, and the family always enjoyed traveling to Estes Park, Colo. She and Mr. Goy had been married 28 years when a car-train accident took his life on Dec. 12, 1969. His death was a loss to both the family and the community.
On May 4, 1973, she and Alfred Herman Knop were the 100th couple to be married at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Hastings. They made their home on the Knop farm north of Malvern and in December of that year, she became a member of St. John’s. Mr. and Mrs. Knop enjoyed dancing, traveling with their camper and fishing. She was a great cook and loved to bowl, bringing home several league trophies over the years. In 1988, they moved from the farm to a home in Malvern. Mr. Knop continued playing the drums with different music groups, and she enjoyed watching him entertain at care centers and playing for dances in nearby towns.
The couple had been married 30 years when he died on Aug. 17, 2003. She continued to live in Malvern until 2006, when she moved to Linnwood Estates in Glenwood.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands Richard Goy; and Fritz Knop; and her oldest son, Rodney Goy, on Aug. 20, 2004. She is survived by her son, Lanny Goy and wife Tenita of Glenwood; daughter-in-law, Janella Goy of Malvern; brother, Stanley Hensley of Sheridan, Mo.; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews, other relatives and friends.
Memorials may be made in Mrs. Knop’s name to the Malvern Cemetery Association or Linnwood Estates Assisted Living Center.