Longtime public works director remembered for love of Wheaton

WHEATON – Joseph Knippen, who served as director of Wheaton's Public Works Department for nearly 40 years, died Friday at the age of 74 of a heart attack.

Knippen graduated from Wheaton Community High School in 1957. His uncle founded the now-closed Wheaton staple Knippen's Shoes. He was also heavily involved with the Wheaton Center for History.

City Manager Don Rose, who recently celebrated his own 40th anniversary with the city, said Knippen oversaw significant growth in the department during his tenure and was a "go-to guy" with a lot of love for the community he grew up in.

"He had a wealth of knowledge and history about the city and people and places and things," Rose said. "He had a passing knowledge of so many things. If you needed something like home repair help, he could always lead you in the right direction or would go down in his basement and grab his tools and go do whatever you needed to get done."

Rose remembered Knippen as a dog lover, joke teller and stalwart pitcher on the city's softball team. He still occasionally dropped by City Hall to visit, he said.

"He was very proud of what he did over here," he said. "He was proud of his city, and really wanted to do the right thing to make it a better place."

His wife of 56 years, Connie, remembers his love of his job and family.

"We have three sons, and he was active in their lives when they were growing up," she said. "Baseball coach, Boy Scout leader – but the main hobby in his life was his job. He absolutely loved it and spent most of his time there."

Of particular pride to Knippen was his work building the public works garage and overseeing the city's clean-up efforts after a huge snowstorm hit in early 1979.

"He had a famous saying – every year, about when they started getting close to winter, he'd say 'we're due for a big one,'" Connie said. "Well, it hit in '79."

Crews worked long shifts, and Knippen even jumped in a plow to help. The city was so appreciative of his work that he was the grand marshall of that year's Fourth of July parade, she said.

"He absolutely loved his city, loved the people in it, loved helping the people in it," she said. "That's what he did."

A visitation, filled with former coworkers, mayors and friends, was held 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at Williams-Kampp Funeral Home, 430 E. Roosevelt Road. It was followed by a private interment.

Knippen is survived by his three sons, Joseph Jr., Gary and Steven, and his seven grandchildren.

The family requests donations be made to DuPage County Animal Care and Control or the Wheaton Center for History in lieu of flowers.