Carl Russell Knowling

May 22, 1937-Nov. 12, 2021

Carl Russell Knowling of Crawfordsville passed away Friday, Nov. 12, 2021, at home with family by his side, on the porch where he spent endless hours watching the Purple Martins and beauty of his farm.

Carl was born in Parkersburg, Indiana, to Hobert and Florence (Verhey) Knowling on May 22, 1937. He grew up in the Black Creek Road area where life was hard, but times were good! People living as far as 6 to 7 miles away were considered your next-door neighbors. He often remembered sledding behind the hill of his house on a piece of tin and building a ramp to ride on with their bikes, having a wreck and then spending the rest of the day fixing them … and then doing it all over again. Their neighbor “Dad Bailey” would saunter over to see what they were doing. He graduated from Crawfordsville High School, a proud member of the Class of 1955. 

Carl began his work career at the age of 10 at Morris & Jacks Greenhouse. In the pursuing years, he was employed by RR Donnelly Dept A, Farm Bureau Co-op as a petroleum service technician, and Big R as a “flunkey” so they joked, making lifelong friends along the way. While working for the Co-op, he liked to proclaim he was “the world’s worst oil man,” but his customers all knew better and said so. He considered the best part of his day talking with his customers, whether he was sitting on a bucket in the garage or a swing in the yard and loved every minute of it.

Carl served in the US Army Reserve. His memberships included the Elks, the Masons and the Shriners. He is survived by his dear wife of 61 years, Nancy, his daughter Carla Walsh (Tim), and son Greg. He was lovingly referred to as “Pappy” by his four grandchildren, Sarah and Jacob Walsh, Paige Knowling and Evan Hubble. Included is his brother David, and a self-appointed care-giver Jack Russel Terrier, named Gus. He was preceded in death by his parents and older brother Albert and sister Doris Cler.

Some of his favorite times were spent taking care of his small farm where he loved to mow and have a garden. He enjoyed hours of carpentry and woodworking, building clocks, furniture, miniature farm houses, and swings to give as gifts for his friends and family.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov.18, with visitation beginning two hours prior at Hunt & Son Funeral Home, 107 N. Grant Ave. Crawfordsville. A small, graveside service will take place immediately following at Riverside Cemetery in Attica, Indiana.