TORRINGTON – Maxine Knittel, 94, of Torrington, passed away peacefully on May 13, 2021, at the Goshen Care Center Alzheimer’s Unit.
Maxine was born May 26, 1926, in a farmhouse near Herreid, South Dakota to Konrad K. and Ella (Orth) Deibert. She was the oldest of five children. She graduated from Herreid High School in 1944 and began her secretarial career. She married Arnold T. Knittel Nov. 20, 1948, in Igloo, South Dakota where they were both employed at the munitions’ depot. They had two children, son Paul and daughter Peggy.
Throughout their 51 years of married life, Arnold and Maxine moved 20 times to various locations in South Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, Minnesota and Nebraska; settling finally in Torrington in 1999.
Maxine was a woman of great faith and was quite a Bible scholar. She loved her family, classical music, and elephants. She was a member of All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Torrington.
She is survived by her daughter Peggy (Knittel) Steen of Torrington; four grandchildren, Janine (Chris) Clampitt of Richmond, Missouri, Kristen Van Dyke of Ankeny, Iowa, Stephen (Meghan) Knittel of Bennington, Neb. and Beth (Jonathan Schwinck) Steen of Minneapolis, Minnesota; seven great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother Jerry (Violet) Deibert of Herreid, South Dakota.
She was preceded in death by her husband Arnold (2000), her son Paul (2004), daughter-in-law Elaine (2018), her son-in-law John Steen (2012), her brother Les and her sisters Arlene and Lyla.
Funeral services are pending. Arrangements are by Colyer Funeral Home, and condolences may be sent to www.colyerfuneralhome.com. Memorials may be directed to All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Torrington.
