Colonel Adolph “AJ” Henry Knehans Jr., 82, Triangle,Va., passed away peacefully in his sleep Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018. He was at home with his family. His last words, spoken to his wife of 60 years, were “I love you.”
He was born Feb. 4, 1936, to Adolph and Tina (Pletz) Knehans, in Owensville.
He was united in marriage to his high school sweetheart, Sylvia Schabacker, Sept. 13, 1958, in Rosebud.
After matriculating from Owensville High School, he attended the University of Missouri, graduating with a degree in geology. He then joined in the U.S. Army, serving in the Corps of Engineers with duty stations in Japan, Thailand, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Virginia, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and Germany. While stationed in Germany he traveled with his family to Greece, Spain, England, Scotland, the Netherlands, Morocco and France.
Following his discharge from active service in 1974 he worked as a civilian in the Corps of Engineers at Fort Belvoir, Va., retiring in 1996. Following his retirement he traveled with his wife to many locations including Alaska, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, New England, Spain, Portugal and Morocco. He volunteered many hours for Action in Community Through Service in Dumfries, Va., and was a very active member for the Woodbridge Kiwanis Club. All who met him knew him to be kind, affable, fair and eager to help any who needed it.
He survived by his wife Sylvia in Triangle; sons, Brian of Kansas City, Kan. and Greg of Greensboro, N.C.; grandchildren Katie and Derek of Salem, Ore.; brother, Doug and sister-in-law Sue of Owensville; several nieces and nephews; and more friends than could be counted. He is grieved by all who knew him, none more so than his family whom he loved and supported unconditionally.
