Town Mourns Death of Former Selectman Stanley Knowles

Obituary courtesy of Remick and Gendron Funeral Home


Stanley W. Knowles, 78, a lifelong resident of North Hampton, died Wednesday, January 1, 2014, at Portsmouth Regional Hospital.

He was born here September 10, 1935, a son of the late Stanley J. Knowles and Marion (Smith) Knowles Schanschieff. The Knowles family goes back to one of the founding families of North Hampton.

He graduated from Hampton Academy with the Class of 1953, received his bachelor's degree from the University of New Hampshire in 1959 where he served in the ROTC program and was a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity. He returned to UNH in later years and in 1970 received his master's degree in forestry. He was a veteran serving with the U.S. Army and later served with the Army Reserve retiring as Captain with 16 years of service.

Mr. Knowles began his career in 1962 as an assistant county forester and became Rockingham County forester in 1963. He was known for high quality programs for professional foresters throughout New Hampshire, particularly to silvicultural techniques and forest management education. He provided workshops to landowners in the state and throughout New England. He retired in 1990 from the UNH Cooperative Extension as extension specialist with 30 years of forestry service.

He served on the Governor's Task Force on Community Trees and the Forestry Training Committee and was active in the National 4-H Invitational Woods contest for youth throughout the country. He also served as chair of the NH Board of Registration for Professional Foresters.

He also served the town of North Hampton as selectman for two terms, served on the Budget Committee, Conservation Commission, Zoning Board of Adjustment, North Hampton Forever Committee, was a volunteer firefighter, a tree warden, served on the Youth Association for the town, and his family donated the land for Knowles Field on Birch Road. 

He was a member of the United Church of Christ, a member of the Hampton's American Legion Post 35 and served on scholarship boards for Hampton Academy, UNH, and the Urban Forestry Center where he also was an instructor. He was also a member of Alpha Zeta and Xi Sigma Pi, honorary fraternities.

He shared 57 years of marriage with his wife, Nina M. (Dunbrack) Knowles.

In addition to his wife, family members include four children, Eric Knowles, Jeffrey Knowles and his wife Kathleen, Donald Knowles, Teresa Fredette and her husband Charles all of North Hampton, six grandchildren, three great grandchildren, his brother, Arthur Knowles of Effingham and many nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by two brothers, Richard and Robert Knowles and his grandson Ray.

Visiting hours will be from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Monday, January 6, 2014, at the Remick & Gendron Funeral Home-Crematory, 811 Lafayette Road, Hampton. Services will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, January 7, 2014 at the United Church of Christ, 295 Atlantic Avenue, North Hampton. Interment will be private in the Center Cemetery. The family suggests donations to either, The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 6931 Arlington Road, Ste., 200, Bethesda, MD 20814, David's House, 461 Mount Support Road, Lebanon, NH 03766 or to the United Church of Christ, 295 Atlantic Avenue, North Hampton, NH 03862. Please visit www.RemickGendron.com to view Stanley's memorial Website, sign the tribute wall or for directions. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/fosters/obituary.aspx?n=stanley-w-knowles&pid=168896176&fhid=4699#s...