Dale Knoll, 83, Luverne, died Saturday, Aug. 9, 2003, at Luverne Community Hospital. Services were Thursday, Aug. 14, at St. John Lutheran Church in Luverne. The Rev. Gary Klatt officiated. Burial was at Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne.Dale Merle Knoll was born to Percy and Frances (Maynard) Knoll on June 30, 1920, in Correll. He graduated from Correll High School in 1938. He attended Mankato State Teachers College where he earned a bachelor of science degree in education. For two months preceding his graduation in July 1942 he taught at the high school in Madison, Minn. After college graduation, his first full teaching position was in Hendricks, where he taught until he entered the U.S. Navy in 1943. He served his country during World War II in the South Pacific until 1946. He returned to Hendricks to finish out the school year. He taught and coached at Truman High School for 16 years until 1962. During that time he worked on his master’s degree in high school guidance counseling. Upon completion of his master’s degree in July 1962, he accepted a position as counselor at Luverne High School where he worked until his retirement in 1984. He married Helen Jane Chesley on Sept. 12, 1942. They had one son, Tom. They joined St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Truman where he was confirmed as an adult. Mrs. Knoll died in February 1958.He married Margie Wood on June 14, 1959, at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Fairmont. They had three children, Timothy, Amy and Beth. Mr. Knoll was an active member of St. John Lutheran Church in Luverne. He loved sports as evidenced by his interest in basketball and baseball in high school and college. At Mankato State he served as a co-captain on the basketball team in 1941 and 1942. He played basketball and baseball on independent teams when he lived in Truman. He enjoyed coaching all sports in Truman and in Luverne he continued his coaching tradition as head coach of boys’ and girls’ golf and assistant coach in other sports. In his retirement he faithfully followed the many Minnesota sports teams. He also loved playing golf and was a long-time member of Luverne Country Club. Gardening, woodworking, cards, especially bridge, were favorite pastimes. He also gave bridge lessons through community education. Survivors include his wife, Margie Knoll, Luverne; two sons, Tom (Janet) Knoll, Woodbury, and Tim (Sharon) Knoll, Brandon, S.D.; two daughters, Amy (Sidney) Fitch, Spencer, Iowa, and Beth (Joshua) Fleming, Las Vegas, Nev.; nine grandchildren, Christopher and Samantha Knoll, Lindsey, Brittany and Payton Knoll, Kyle and Madison Fitch, and Bailey and Rieley Fleming; two brothers, his twin brother, Dean (Evelyn) Knoll, Litchfield, and Merle (Lucille) Knoll, Osakis; two sisters, Peggy (Harold) Welsh, Pensacola, Fla., and Patricia (Gerald) O’Connor, Spicer; and many nieces and nephews. Mr. Knoll was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Helen Jane, and a sister, Carol White.Dingmann Funeral Home in Luverne was in charge of arrangements.
