Knocke receives Community Cornerstone Award

CornerBank has announced Fern Knocke is the Community Cornerstone Award recipient for August. In recognition of her service, CornerBank will contribute $100 to the non-profit organization of Knocke’s choice. She has selected Redeemer Lutheran Thursday School, a special ministry for approximately 100 community residents with developmental disabilities, to receive the contribution. A reception honoring Knocke’s service will be at 3:30 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 18, in the CornerBank community room, 125 N. Summit. The public is invited to attend the reception.

Knocke is a member of the Redeemer Lutheran Church, where she has served on the church council as secretary and Sunday school superintendent. She has taught Sunday school, VBS and mid-week classes. As a member of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, Knocke has held various offices, including president, and has help with meals before mid-week classes for 10 years.

Knocke’s served as president of Junior Service League, Jaycee Jaynes, Jefferson PTA and the adult chapter of American Field Service (AFS). In 1987-88, her family hosted an AFS exchange teacher from Paraguay who taught Spanish at Arkansas City High School. Her other volunteer activities include the Community Concert Committee, Meals on Wheel and Salvation Army Bell Ringer. As a member of Beta Sigma Phi sorority, Knocke chaired the Arkalalah Queen’s Luncheon in 1959 and, in 1960, received the “Girl of the Year” award for community service. She has hosted Visiting Arkalalah Queens several years.

After retirement in 1998 from United Agency, Knocke joined the SCKMC Auxiliary and has served in various positions, including president in 2006 and 2007. She also has volunteered in medical records at Presbyterian Manor the past 13 years and was recognized in 2005 as one of the “55 Faces of Presbyterian Manors.” From 1999 to 2002, she served on the Presbyterian Manor Advisory Board.

Knocke was raised on a farm near West Point in northeast Nebraska. She was one of four children. She attended a rural parochial school and graduated from West Point High School, where she was valedictorian and involved in many activities such as Governor’s Secretary at Girls’ State. In 1953, she graduated from St. John’s College in Winfield where she received the Gold Key Highest Honors Award. She spent the next year in the Washington, D.C., area where she worked as a parish worker. In 1954, she married Erwin Knocke and they have resided in Arkansas City since then. In January 1955, she went to work for what is now the United Agency. She also served as Executive Secretary for the Arkalalah festival committee in 1978 and 1979.

Knocke has given valuable assistance to her husband in his various civic endeavors, but she said her greatest and best efforts have been as a mother in raising their three children: Jodi, a certified oncology nurse; Jan, a retired Air Force Academy graduate who is now with IBM; and Michael, chief information officer at the Kansas Spine Hospital.

Knocke was selected for the award by the Community Cornerstone Award selection committee, which includes Arleta Rice, Judy Reedy, Karl Faidley, Curt Freeland and Brenda Combs. All are previous recipients of the Cornerstone Award. Volunteers are the cornerstones of healthy communities. They’re on your corner – the people next door. They’re in your corner – helping make our community stronger. The Community Cornerstone Award recognizes the time and effort of volunteers dedicated to serving people and enhancing the quality of life in Cowley County. If you know of a Cowley County resident who has shown servant leadership in community service, contact Joyce McArtor at 442-6500 or joycem@cornerbank.com for nomination guidelines.