Cecil Knephoff

Hastings resident, Cecil LeRoy Knephoff, 92, passed away Monday, June 4, 2012 at Perkins Pavilion Good Samaritan Society-Hastings Village, Hastings, Nebraska.

Services will be Thursday, June 7, 2012; 2:00 P.M. at First Christian Church Disciples of Christ, Hastings with Rev. Dr. James W. Gordon officiating. Burial with military rites by Hastings Veterans Organizations will be in Parkview Cemetery, Hastings, Nebraska. Visitation will be Wednesday, June 6, 2012; 1:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. at the funeral home, and one hour prior to service at the church. Memorials may be given to Mary Lanning Hospice.

Cecil LeRoy Knephoff was born June 11, 1919 in Grand Island, Nebraska to Fredrick Knephoff of Wangrin, Prussia and Lela Blackmore Knephoff of Sibley, Iowa. He was married to Adeline Louise Magner Knephoff on October 15, 1940. Cecil graduated from Grand Island High School in 1939. He worked as a beer truck driver, a grave digger at the Grand Island Cemetery, and various construction jobs prior to marrying Adeline and moving to Hastings to work on the CB&Q railroad as a bridge builder before becoming a steam engine mechanic. Cecil was drafted into the U.S. Army in November 1942 and sent to the 5th Battalion Combat Engineers as a bridge builder. He was stationed in Albuquerque, New Mexico and New Orleans, Louisiana. He was transferred to the 1276th Battalion Combat Engineers C Company when that Battalion was formed in 1943. The 1276th embarked for Iceland in 1943 and built air bases and trained for service in Europe. The 1276th transferred to England May 1944 and then to Normandy August 1944 where the Battalion performed Explosive Ordnance removable for the U.S. Army area of operations in Normandy, France. The Battalion moved with the Army to Belgium and was assigned to the British Army for the duration of the Battle of the Bulge. Cecil and others of his company were en route for leave when the German Infantry tried to stop the truck he was riding in; they escaped back to their area and participated in the Battle of the Bulge. Cecil was wounded during an Artillery barrage when the Battalion was in the lines as Infantry and left for dead, he crawled back to his lines and was hospitalized for wounds, and to this day carries shrapnel in his body. After the lines were consolidated his Battalion participated in the Assault crossings of the Rhine and Ruhr Rivers, and received the Presidential Unit Citation, equivalent to the Distinguish Service Cross, the Army's 2nd highest medal. During these crossings he drove assault boats carrying the 106th Infantry division, and after the bridge head was established, constructed foot bridges and vehicle bridges while under small arms and artillery fire. Many men from his company and battalion were killed or wounded during these operations. Cecil ended the war at Stendel, Germany, approximately 30 miles north of Berlin, on the Elbe River and the Battalion waited for the Russians to arrive. The Battalion received orders to prepare to transfer to the Pacific for the Assault of Japan, fortunately Japan surrendered before being shipped from Marseille, France. Cecil was discharged November 1945 at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas and came home to Adeline and his young daughter. Cecil returned to his job with the CB&Q which later became Burlington Northern Santa Fe and worked there until he retired in 1980 after 40 years with the company. He and Adeline traveled around the country during their retirement. Cecil and Adeline had three daughters during their marriage, Barbara October 1942, Linda July 1947, and Deb March 1953. They were married for 72 years.

Cecil was preceded in death by his parents, Fredrick & Lela Knephoff of Grand Island, Nebraska; six brothers and sisters, Verna Powell of Kansas City, Kansas, Ina Van Gordon of York, Nebraska, Lauren Knephoff of Torrance, California, Vivian Sybrant of Hastings, Nebraska, Doris Hill of Grand Island, Nebraska, and Junior Knephoff of Portland, Oregon.

Survivors include:
Wife: Adeline Knephoff - Hastings, NE
Daughters & Sons-in-law: Barbara & Roland Hofferber - Muscatine, IA
Linda & Danny Niederhaus - Hastings, NE
Debra Cromer & Don Bolte - Hastings, NE
Grandchildren & Spouses: Shely & Jay Waechter - Topeka, KS
Jeff & Rhonda Hofferber - Hastings, NE
Kim & Todd Karnes - Hastings, NE
Chad Hofferber - Hastings, NE
Dr. Alexandria & Jason Schreiner - Hastings, NE
Augusta & Travis Beahm - Hastings, NE
Jennifer Maggart - Hastings, NE
Michael Maggart - North Platte, NE
Tyler & Tara Maggart - Hastings, NE
Great-Grandchildren: Jackson Waechter - Des Moines, IA
Jordan Waechter - Lincoln, NE
Desare Norton - St. Louis, MO
Rani Hofferber - St. Louis, MO
Sarah Karnes - Lincoln, NE
Cami Karnes - Hastings, NE
Matt Karnes - Hastings, NE
Chase Hofferber - Blue Hill, NE
Henry Schreiner - Hastings, NE
Etta Schreiner - Hastings, NE
Harrison Schreiner - Hastings, NE
Cecilia Beahm - Hastings, NE
Cooper Beahm - Hastings, NE
Brayden Maggart - Hastings, NE
2 Great-Great-Grandchildren on the way