John Lawrence Knepper

John Lawrence Knepper, of Sioux City, Iowa, passed away while in hospice for kidney failure. His family and friends will miss his kindness, intelligence, sharp wit, and stoicism in the face of lifelong medical challenges.

John was born July 26,1951, in Sioux City, the son of Bill Garton Knepper and Lorraine Elizabeth Bandholz Knepper. He attended Sioux City Unitarian Church and Sioux City schools, graduating from Central High School in 1969. He attended Morningside College, where he majored in history and minored in English and philosophy. John acted in plays while at Morningside and also served as assistant editor and editor of the student newspaper, The Collegian Reporter. He wrote editorials every week for two years during the tumultuous early 1970s. He met his wife, Marty Steele, at the October 15, 1969, moratorium march to end the Vietnam War. They married in 1974 and celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2024.

After working in business for a time, John continued his education at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, taking secondary education classes. While in Rock Island, John and Marty were directors of Augustana’s Andreen residence hall for four years, and John worked for three summers at a classical theater, Genesius Guild. He learned stage lighting there and appeared on stage in Shakespeare and Greek plays.

In 1984, John and Marty moved back to Sioux City. After student teaching at East High School, John taught English for a year at North High School, where he assistant coached debate and coached academic decathlon. He spent the rest of his career at Woodrow Wilson Middle School, teaching English and social studies.

John and Marty enjoyed traveling in the United States, especially to the Black Hills, the Tetons, and Spring Green, Wisconsin. For two decades they traveled in Europe. They enjoyed meeting or visiting relatives on both sides of the family in Sweden and Austria. With friends Edmond McClean and Seamus McConomy, they explored Northern Ireland, Ireland, and Scotland. John and Marty returned most often to England.

After retirement, John followed politics and the Minnesota Vikings, both lifelong passions, and enjoyed streaming movies and TV series. He also loved keeping up with his extended family. He lived with a series of cats throughout his life: Tiger, the most memorable, and Kellie, the sweetest.

Family and friends will treasure memories of John. He leaves behind wife Marty Knepper; John’s siblings and spouses Monte (Becki) Knepper, Dana (Cindy) Knepper, and Laura Switzer; Marty’s brothers and spouses John (Deb) Steele and Timothy (Elizabeth Menne) Steele; and John and Marty’s nieces and nephews and their children Corinna (Andrew) Troth, Bailey (Olivia) DeLaRosa-Troth and Justin Troth; Sarah Fury; and Robin Knepper; Gretchen Ainge, Ethan and Jordyn Ainge; Lynn (Kyle) Grauman, Elsa, Coen, and Anders Grauman; Kurtis Switzer, Iris and Ronin Switzer; Laura Steele; Sarah (Dennis Svensson) Fletcher; Andrew Steele; and Kay (Gabriel Raines) Steele. Predeceasing John are his parents, Bill and Lorraine Knepper; brother in-law, Ron Switzer; and Marty’s parents, Otto and Mildred Steele.

A service celebrating John’s life will be held in the spring or early summer of 2025. Cards, messages, and memorial gifts may be sent to Marty Knepper or to Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel (3220 Stone Park Blvd, Sioux City, IA 51104) or to their website. Gifts in John’s memory will be donated to Morningside University Humanities programs (Communications, English, History, Philosophy, Spanish, and Religious Studies.)