Mr. Thomas E. Knieriemen

In September of 1951 a male child was born to Floyd and Josephine Knieriemen and they named him Thomas Earl Knieriemen! He had two older brothers John and Joe eagerly awaiting his arrival home. Tom grew up learning the values in life were family and friends but the most important ones were how to love and laugh. The youngest of three boys Tom moved to Florida with his parents in the 60's when he was sixteen and the bough a house in Apopka, Florida, Tom didn't know that he was going to meet his first best friend Bo, a year or two later he would meet the woman of his dreams and another great friend Jimmy. Tom got married to Sandy on June 13th, 1971 and the two began building their life together. In July of 1973 Tom was blessed with a little girl he named her Michele and in February of 1976 he was blessed again, this time with a little boy named Eric. He taught his family that love and laughter are truly the best medicine when life gets tough! His passion for living life to the fullest didn't mean jumping from planes or taking exotic vacations but spending quality time with his family and friends. Tom was a man that would help just about anyone in need but if he loved you he would drop whatever he was doing to help his family and friends without hesitation. The world he created for us here and those chose to let in his heart were deeply saddened on April 5, 2016 as he left the restraints of the physical world and transformed to the spiritual one rejoining his parents and his brother Joe. When he meets the Creator and is asked the questions: "Did you find joy in your heart and did you bring joy to others?" he may proudly answer, Yes!

We love and miss you greatly Daddy! 

 

To my beloved husband Tom of 44 plus years we have had a wonderful journey through life! You were always loving and respectful husband and my best friend. Most of all you were a father who taught our children how to enjoy life and share their feelings and love with others. We have always had a give and take relationship and helped each other through some tough times and cherished the food times.

Living and loving with you by my side has made me a better person as I know I am not easy to live with. I remembered we started out with 10 foot Jon-boat and Michele’s first outing in a playpen on John’s Lake and Eric’s first fish 8lb catfish when he was two and it was bigger than him. The many camping trips and dune buggy rides we had as a family and with our closest friends when we had no money to do anything else, you always found a way to have fun with the children. The family trips scalloping at Crystal River and fishing in the Keys, these are memories that no one can take from me and those that knew us and had shared in these adventures will have these memories as well. As the children grew up the trips to Vegas and the fishing trips as a family in Costa Rica and Alaska. When they left home I shared many miles on the Harley along with friends, traveling to the Keys, Sturgis, Canada and the Blue Ridge Mountains. The many charity rides we did with friends and Moose members to help others with a cause. When we would get home we always had wagging tails from our grand doggies: Suki, Mo, Jack and Maggie!

I know that going on without you will be hard as I also lost my best friend that I could share anything with and for that I am greatly saddened, but I am also very blessed that you do not have struggle to get through each day. I know that as a family we made your last days as comfortable as we could and let you pass in your house on your couch in your sleep.

I am sure you are with your beloved Doberman “Candy” and that you will be waiting for me when the time comes for me to join you. I love you with all my heart and will greatly miss you as the days go by.

In loving memory your wife! 

     

My First real memory of us was in February 1976. It snowed in Florida and you woke me up to take me outside so I could see snow for the first time. You played with me and we made snowballs! I was only three and you were my playmate. I remember having tea parties and playing with my dolls. Dad, you always made time for me even after working all day. Mom was busy with Erica who was just born. There’s so many great memories as a little girl going fishing, camping and riding in the dune buggy. In my eyes you were just another kid and my first friend. I never realized we didn’t have money because you made my life rich with love and fun. I never wanted for anything growing up! I was in dance and gymnastics as far back as I can remember.

When I was five I met Stacey and when she came over she was part of our family truck went with Erica and I everywhere you and mom took us. I remember riding in the old white Chevy truck with the rusty holes in the floor-boards but it was just extra air-conditioning. The dirt would fly up through the holes as we traveled down the first roads that didn’t matter because we were together. You taught us to work hard and play harder! You were always so much fun and we all knew how much you loved all of us! I remember Sunday dinners with grandma and grandpa, we would all gather around the table to eat and talk as a family with no subject to taboo knowing that the love we shared as a family would overcome any obstacle. I used to always come to you first if I wanted to do something and your response was, “ask you mother!,” or, “what did your mother say!?” we had no chance at pulling a fast one. Probably because you would get in just as much trouble with mom! When we moved to the house on Nightingale St. it had a pool, there we would have many birthday parties where family and friends would gather to have a good time.

When I was in gymnastics you took the time to learn how to become a judge. You would spot me and do backflips with me in the yard. I remember getting in trouble at school for hitting a boy when he tried to kiss me. You spoke to the principal with a scowl and praised me in front of him for standing up for myself and reassured me that everything was okay. Eric and I used to wrestle on the living room floor with you while mom was cooking. One time Eric accidently hit you with a belt and you started bleeding! Eric and I freaked out and started crying but you calmly reassured us that you were going to be just fine and accidents happen. Mom and I brought home a little dog one day we named her buttons, she got in the trash one time and you caught her and put her in the can to sit as punishment. When we were bad you let mom do the discipline because you were afraid to hurt us. I remember going to my first dance and you talking to the boy, I was so nervous for that boy. You looked intimidating but I knew you were a big teddy-bear inside!

As I got older we moved out to Ondich Rd. where you and mom built a house on the lake. We all fished from the dock and had plenty of parties with all of friends and family. I started playing the trumpet when I was fourteen and you would help me practice because you played the trumpet in high school as well. We always had a boat growing p but when we got our first off-shore boat the Sandra T  the summer would be more amazing. You took us fishing on both coast of Florida and we made many memories down in the Keys too! I remember our first off-shore fishing trip, Stacey was with us and her and I got sea sick. The summer before I turned sixteen I remember going to work with you to fix a mustang you had bought for me. We did the body work on it and I got to create my own one of a kind color paint for the car and you even put pink pin-striping to accent the metal flake charcoal paint job. You taught me how to change my own oil and how to put on a spare tire if I ever needed too. I never needed to know this stuff because all I had to do was call you and you’d be there to fix whatever was broken.

I remember one time I lied to mom and she told you to spank me. I was crying and you talked to me and told me that when you hit the pillow I better cry loud! You would never spank your little girl you never raised a hand or your voice in anger towards me. When I started dating you would give the boys a talk and between your shotgun and Candy the Doberman the young men were always perfect gentlemen. The first time I moved away from home to Virginia after college and falling in love with a navy man. You were there to help load my stuff and drive me to Virginia. When we got there you and I danced in the living room before you and mom headed back home. On my wedding day before I walked down the aisle, you told me that I didn’t have to do it and we could just have a big party. When I was going through rough times you always supported and loved me. If I needed help you were there to give me a hug and a kiss just to reassure me that everything was going to be okay. When I bought my first house you were there to help with anything and everything, fixing the plumbing or sliding glass door just helping me to pull it together. No matter the task I could call you and you would be there to help me out. I found out that I had a brain tumor in May 2006 you were visibly upset but remained strong and supportive through all the tough decisions. You drove me to chemo-therapy and radiation treatments and whatever I needed and we would do so as a family. Family has always been your top priority and there is so many lessons you and mom taught Eric and I. When you were diagnosed with lung cancer we discussed how you wanted to tackle this obstacle. You wanted to fight so we did the chemo and radiation but your body had already gotten to weak. I know that you’re at peace and in no pain, but I miss you so much already. I know that you are watching over us and now I have one more guardian angel looking over my shoulder. I love you daddy! I will miss you forever, you were the best dad and friend your little girl could ever want. Thank you for all the good times and wonderful memories! Rest peacefully daddy knowing that we are going to be okay!

                Love, Michele 

Celebration of Life to be held May 21, 2016. Please RSVP EricTK76@gmail.com