For love of life, family and country

Young Chang

With hymns and the tinkle of chimes hung on a branch, loved ones on

Friday honored and remembered Richard Warren Knapp, a veteran of the

Korean War who passed away Nov. 1. He was 70.

Just one day before Veterans Day, Knapp’s family remembered his life.

At the conclusion of the service held at Pacific View Memorial Park in

Newport Beach, a Navy honor guard stood at attention, saluting in Knapp’s

direction as “Taps” played in the background. The sailors carefully

folded the American flag that was draped over the casket and handed it to

his widow, Pat Knapp.

Pat Knapp said her husband was a patriotic man who was in love with

his country. Knapp, of Costa Mesa, joined the Navy in 1951 and served for four years. He fought in the Korean War on an aircraft carrier for almost

a year.

His enthusiasm for his country was matched by his love for his family

and passion for life.

Next April, Knapp and his wife would have celebrated their 50th

wedding anniversary. But she is grateful for the last 49 years and also

for his peaceful death.

“He loved everything about his life,” she said. “He never thought

about dying. He was still making plans to travel even when he was sick.”

In a poem read during Friday’s service, his son, Michael Knapp,

thanked his father for all the tents and trailers, for decades of

beautiful Christmas trees and all the holiday toys that worked perfectly

well, thanks to many long nights Richard Knapp spent making sure they

did.

“His love of life was awesome,” Michael Knapp said.