William "Bill" David Knopp

Bill and his twin brother, Bob, were born to Homer and Hazel Knopp on October 4, 1954, in Silverton, Oregon. Bill grew up in the Canby area and attended 91 School for all of his grade school years. After graduating from Canby High school in 1972, he travelled around the US for a year before going to Seattle Pacific College. He graduated from there in 1977 with a degree in business administration and economics. After college, he went to Israel for 2 and a half years with the Mennonite Central Committee. While there, he taught English at a Palestinian boys’ school on the West Bank, near Bethlehem. He also helped out at a Catholic orphanage. Bill and Bob started Colony Nursery in high school and continued with it through college. After returning from Israel, Bill went back to nursery work. He and Bob and their brother, Dan, along with many great employees, continued to build up the nursery. One of the plants they specialized in was a bush called the Blue Cascade Weeping Cedar, which they had developed and named. In 2020, the brothers turned the management of the nursery over to others. Bill married Rae Lynn Giesbrecht on February 15, 1986. They have 3 children, Laura who is married to Grayson Lindstrom, Jack who is engaged to Dori Grabinski, and Tom who is married to Dakota Hansen. Bill liked to joke that some men made him look good as a husband. But no comparisons are needed for him to be thought of as a wonderful husband and dad. Bill and his family enjoyed vacationing in Yellowstone, Disneyland, and Hawaii. Throughout the years, Bill volunteered his time coaching soccer and basketball, helping in Sunday school and youth group, being assistant church treasurer, and helping at local food banks and with a local ESL program. He liked sports and enjoyed watching football, basketball, baseball and tennis. His favorite baseball team was the Baltimore Orioles. He loved to read newspapers and kept up with politics and business, and always the weather. Bill was a kind man, who enjoyed listening to others. He had a good sense of humor and even to the last, he would make a joke. After being diagnosed with cancer, he would say things like, “Well, I don’t have to worry about dementia anymore.” Before moving away from nursery work in 2020, Bill and Bob got involved with a Bonsai club in Portland and planted a chestnut orchard. Bill was hoping that these activities would be something he could continue with into retirement. But this was not to be. In July 2020, he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Out of love for his family, he went through chemotherapy and tried a trial drug, but these drugs only slowed his cancer for a few months. On January 17, 2021, Bill went home to Jesus. Bill’s love for Jesus Christ was most important to him. He trusted in Jesus for forgiveness of sins, for wisdom to live this life well, and for hope of life after death. His faith brought him peace during his last 6 months, especially when he was struggling with pain, nausea, and uncertainty. And Bill trusted in Jesus to the end. His friends and family, headed up by Clark Yoder, lovingly built him a pine casket, and he was buried at Rock Creek Cemetery on January 25, 2021.