Lee Edward Knowles went to be with his Lord on June 10, 2012. Lee was born Oct. 22, 1928, in Spokane. The son of Harry Knowles and Thelma Fonda Knowles, he attended Millwood Grade School. He graduated from West Valley High School and attended Eastern Washington State College (EWU). Lee joined the Marine Reserve in 1949 and transferred to the Marine Corp in 1950.

Lee served in the Chosin Reservoir in Fox Company 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, becoming a proud member of the “Chosin Few,” and earning a Purple Heart.

After Korea Lee graduated from Perry Institute in Yakima, Wash., with degrees in instrumentation and industrial electronics in 1955. He married Norma Myhre and had four children. He worked for Honeywell in Southern California, Ketchikan Pulp Mill in Ketchikan, Alaska, Inland Paper Mill in Spokane and on the Alaska Pipeline in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska.

In 1973 he met and married Joisse Mylan. They lived in Coeurd’Alene and opened Katie’s Wild Rose Inn in 1987, until retiring in 2001 to Rathdrum. Lee was a dedicated Marine, loving husband and father. He enjoyed working with his hands, crossword puzzles, reading, playing pool with his friends and going for walks. He loved antique clocks and a good joke. Most of all he loved and served the Lord.

Lee is preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Lloyd; his first wife, Norma Sieweke; his son, Karl and his stepson, George Peters.

He is survived by his wife, Joisse; his brother, Marvin (Joyce) Knowles; his daughters, Valerie (Dan) Farrington and Denice (David) Gordon; sons, Patrick (Sharon) Knowles and James (Sherrie) Knowles; step-daughters, Lori (Bob) Blessing, Suzanne Green and Angi (Patrick) Shamblin; 15 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; one niece; two nephews and five grandnieces.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 16, 2012, at Forest Cemetery in Coeur d’Alene. Following at noon will be a Celebration of Life at Golden Spike Estates Club House, 8580 West Yosemite St., Rathdrum.

Please visit Lee’s online memorial at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com and sign his guest book.