Thomas John Knepp

Thomas John Knepp
March 14, 1959 - April 08, 2013
Iowa City, Iowa
Visitation: 4-8 P.M. April 12, 2013 at Yoder-Powell Funeral Home, Kalona
Funeral Service: 10:30 A.M. April 13, 2013 at Fairview Mennonite Church, Kalona
Interment: April 13, 2013 at Eash Cemetery, rural Iowa City
Thomas John Knepp, 54, died April 8, 2013 of ocular melanoma cancer at his home. He was born March 14, 1959 in Kalona, Iowa the son of Wallace and Wilma (Swartzendruber) Knepp. Tom graduated from Mid-Prairie High School in 1977 and from the University of Iowa with a BS from the College of Engineering. On February 8, 2003 he was united in marriage to Connie Hylton in Cedar Rapids. He attended the New Covenant Bible Church in Cedar Rapids and enjoyed reading and studying the Bible. Tom has lived in rural Iowa City most of his life where he farmed and was a mechanical engineer at McLanahan Corporation in Cedar Rapids. He was also the owner of Circle K Transportation. Trucking was always an important part of his life and over the years "High Pockets" worked for Heartland Express, Lou Summerville, Tom Yoder, and Twin County Dairy. Tom loved to farm and was a devoted caretaker of the land. He implemented innovative techniques including organic farming and dairy goats and also took the opportunity to visit Ukraine to hear about their farming techniques. Tom was also passionate about motocross racing and enjoyed flying. Tom is survived by his wife Connie of Iowa City, his mother Wilma Knepp of Iowa City, three sisters Laura Burns (Kerry) of Pringle, South Dakota; Sandra Knepp of Saint Louis, Missouri; Charlotte Knepp-Cason (Robert) of Iowa City; niece Jennifer Snyder (Steve), nephew Logan Burns and Erik, a little boy who Tom loved like a son. He was preceded in death by his father and his grandparents John and Mary Knepp and Lee and Emma Swartzendruber. Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 13, 2013 at the Fairview Mennonite Church in rural Kalona. Burial will be in the Eash Cemetery in rural Iowa City. Visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m. on Friday at the Yoder-Powell Funeral Home in Kalona.