Charlie Knoepfler

Charles “Charlie” Allen Knoepfler, 69, of Sioux City, passed away peacefully Friday, January 13, 2023.

A celebration of his life will take place from 2:00 – 4:00 pm on February 4, 2023 at Country Celebrations in Sioux City, with a remembrance around 3:00 pm.

Charles was born January 30, 1953, in Sioux City, IA, to James C. and Barbara (Allen) Knoepfler.
Charles, usually known as Charlie, spent his adolescence in Sioux City eventually graduating from Central High School as Class President in 1971. From there, his continuing education brought him to Oklahoma State University (OSU) in Stillwater, Oklahoma focusing on a degree in Business. He graduated from the University in 1975. It was in college where Charlie was introduced to the love of his life Christine “Christy” Ann Kingdom. Charlie and Christy were married in Tulsa Ok., on January 31, 1976.

Throughout Charlie’s early years in college, he would return to Sioux City for the summers, where he would work as a Sales Associate for Kidder-Knoepfler Co. After graduation from OSU, and a short stint in the Twin Cities, Charlie and Christy moved to Sioux City in 1977, where Charlie began a long and successful career working in the family business. “I was scared to death,” Charlie later stated. “I didn’t want to be the boss’s kid. Employees had a half-hour for lunch. My first morning, I took lunch at 11:30 and proceeded to eat my sandwich rapidly and was back to work within 10 minutes. One of the guys the next day said ‘Kid, you are making us look bad. Eat your lunch.”’ In the summer of 1989, Charlie took over as Dealer Operator for Knoepfler Chevrolet, becoming Co-Owner with his brother Bill, a couple years later.

Throughout the years, Charlie was involved in numerous organizations. He was on the board of the Iowa Auto Dealers Association, Hawkeye Life, Chamber of Commerce, Boy and Girls Club, United Way, Jackson/Rosecrance Recovery, Drug Court, as well as several other local and regional entities.

Charlie could warm a room with his positive attitude and radiant smile. He was a born leader; even from an early age he was graciously referred to as “The General” by neighborhood kids. His life was ultimately curtailed by a twenty-plus year battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Though, throughout the prognosis and the complications that followed, Charlie never lost his sense of optimism and drive to be the best husband/father/and friend possible. He touched many lives in his 69 years on this earth.

Charlie is survived by his wife, Christy Kingdom-Knoepfler; two sons, Ben (Mary Ann Schultz) and Joe (Rachel Diemer) of Sioux City, sister Katherine Knoepfler (Willy Hausner) of Madison, Wisconsin; brother Jim Knoepfler (Cathy) of Des Moines; sister-in-law, Jackie Christerson-Knoepfler of Sioux City; and four grandchildren, Ellis, Ollie, Nora and Anne.

Charlie was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Bill.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be donated to a charity of your choosing.