John Franklin Knowlton

John Franklin Knowlton, 96, hotelman, son of St. Petersburg pioneer physician Roscoe H. Knowlton, M.D., and Katharine Coggeshall Knowlton, died June 10, 2009. He was raised in St. Petersburg, attended local schools, graduated from the Darlington School, Rome, Georgia and attended the University of Florida. Mr. Knowlton entered the hotel business in 1934, at the Soreno Hotel during winters and the Mountain View House in the White Mountains of New Hamsphire in the summers. It was at the Mountain View House that he met his wife of 60 years, Betty Louise Wagner, who was vacationing with her parents. Betty Knowlton died in 1999. During World War II he was a draftsman in a defense plant in New York and later at the Tampa Shipyard. Following the war he was Assistant Manager of the Huntington Hotel and later the Assistant Manager of the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. In 1952 he purchased Pennflora Hotel and operated it for more than 40 years. Civic activities were always part of his life. As a founding member of the Suncoasters, he chaired the Festival of States parade for ten years. He also served Auditorium Authority that built the Bayfront Center. Other service included: Board of Directors of the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce, the Florida Hotel Association, President of the St. Petersburg Hotel Association, a 61 year member of the Dragon Club and Commodore of the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. He was the only Commodore who had also been employed by the Yacht Club, and at his death, he was the oldest living Past Commodore. An Episcopalian, he was a founding member of St. Thomas' Episcopal Church where he was the first Superintendent of the Sunday School, chosen because the Vestry said he had the most children. Later he served as Vestryman and Senior Warden. He was a past Board member and benefactor of Canterbury School. An ardent boater all of his life, he and his wife Betty spent 14 summers in the Bahama Islands aboard their boat Snuffy. Other travels took them to over 100 countries throughout the world. Mr. Knowlton served as Master of Ceremonies for the St. Petersburg Debutants for thirty five years. He is survived by his five children, Katrina Kaufhold Duane, Hayden Knowlton Shannon, David Knowlton, Lucinda Howard Graham all of St. Petersburg, and Thomas Knowlton Ann of Indian Harbour Beach, Florida; 13 grandchildren; 17 great grandchildren; and 12 nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends at the family residence located next to St. Thomas Church from 5pm to 7pm on Friday June 19th. A Memorial Service will be held at St. Thomas' Episcopal Church, 1200-Snell Isle Blvd. NE., St. Petersburg on Saturday June 20th at 11am. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to St. Thomas' Episcopal Church or the Canterbury School of Florida, Knowlton Campus, 990 - 62nd Avenue North, St. Petersburg, FL 33703. On-line Guestbook @ www.AndersonMcQueen.com.