KNECHTEL- Lawrence Andrew, born 1 August, 1923, died December 16, 1995. Native of Carmel Valley, San Diego County. Doctor of Philosophy with San Diego City Schools Guidance Dept., retired. Served in US Army Air Corps during WWII. Preceded in death by his brother Frank Knechtel in April this year. Survived by sisters Helene Lilliegreen and Ruth Buman and eight nieces and nephews. Funeral services to be held at Ocenaside Mortuary, 602 Coast Hwy, Oceanside, CA at 1:00 p.m. December 20th. Interment will follow in the All Saints Episcopal Cemetry, San Luis Rey California.
From the Family Knechtel pages, referencing obituary from The San Diego Union Tribune, December 19, 1995, p. B-5.
Lawrence A. Knechtel, a retired educator and award-winning actor whose family roots in San Diego County date to the late 1800s, died of cancer Saturday at Casa Palmera Care Center in Del Mar. Mr. Knechtel, 72, began acting plays at San Dieguito HighSchool. He later earned “actor of the year” honors at Old Globe Theatre and appeared with professional actor Richard Crenna in a La Jolla Playhouse production. Mr. Knechtel began his career as an educator at an elementary school in Jamul and later taught at San Dieguito and La Jolla High schools. He retired as a district counselor for the San Diego Unified School District.
A native of La Jolla, Mr. Knechtel developed an early interest in performing. He was part of a harmonica band in elementary school that played on a San Diego radio station, family members said. Mr. Knechtel earned a bachelor’s degree from San Diego State, a master’s degree from Columbia University and a doctorate in 1973 from United States International University. During World War II, Mr. Knechtel was a photo reconaissance pilot in the Army Air Forces. He was stationed in Oklahoma City and attained the rank of second lieutenant.
Mr. Knechtel’s father, Frank Knechtel, came to this county with his family 1888 and settled in Carmel Valley. Lawrence Knechtel’s mother, Johanna Leppertt, was born in San Diego in 1889 and taught at Soledad School in Carmel Valley, where she met and married her husband. He is survived by two sisters, Helene Zurcher Lilliegreen, of Escondido, and Ruth Buman, of Carlsbad.
From the Family Knechtel pages, referencing obituary from The San Diego Union Tribune, December 19, 1995, p. B-5.