DAVID DENYS KNOLL
1943-2018
David Denys Knoll, 75, passed peacefully at his home in Somerville, Texas on Tuesday, September 4, 2018. David was born to George J. and Harriett Lutterbaugh Knoll on August 1,1943 in Hugo, Oklahoma. The family made their home in Erie, Pennsylvania where David, the eldest of five children, was active in Boy Scouts, Glee Club and served the church as an altar boy. He graduated from Cathedral Prep School with honors and went on to Georgetown University. He returned to Erie and graduated with honors from Gannon University, where he received the Gold Medal of Honor for Character Leadership Award. David received a full tuition scholarship to Villanova University School of Law, where he graduated with honors in 1968.
Following law school, David served as a Captain in the US Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps from 1969 until 1972, while he also worked part time as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University. While with the JAG Corps, David argued numerous appeals before the United States Court of Military Appeals in Washington D.C.
Upon his honorable discharge from the US Army, David joined the in-house legal department at Hoffman LaRoche in Nutley, New Jersey. David then moved his young family to Houston, Texas where he joined American General Life Insurance Company in 1973 and later served as General Counsel to American General’s Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company. David joined the Houston office of Winstead Sechrest & Minick as a partner in 1992, where he continued to focus on insurance regulatory matters. He left Houston to join Thompson Coe in Austin where he practiced until his retirement in 2016.
David was a passionate vocalist and contributor to the arts, and held many leadership positions with the (former) Houston Oratorio Society and the Houston Symphony Chorus for over 25 years. He enjoyed performing in Houston and internationally, sailing, scuba diving, and golf. David enjoyed a quiet retirement in Somerville with his wife Brenda and their many pets.
David survived by his wife, Brenda Hollingsworth Knoll, his children Mark Knoll (Leah), Samantha Wright (James), Alyson Beisert (John), Shelley Barndollar (Dave Andreas), Andrew Wells and Colleen King (Brett), his grandchildren Taylor Clonts (Kyle), Katelyn Beisert (Mason Embery), Dylon Wright, Spencer Knoll, Mallory Barndollar, Dawson Wright, Chelsea Knoll, Braxton Wright and Brylie Wright, and his great granddaughter Maelynn Clonts and Mason Embery Jr (expected January 2019), sisters Margaret (Peg) Regruth and Ann Knoll and brothers Stephen Knoll and Michael Knoll (Marilyn) and numerous nieces and nephews. David is preceded in death by his parents, George J. and Harriett Lutterbaugh Knoll and nephew Roger Knoll.
A celebration of David’s life will be held on Saturday, September 15 at Noon in St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 2310 Airline Drive, in Brenham, TX 77834. A reception will follow in the parish hall.
In lieu of flowers, David requested donations in his honor to The James Dick Foundation for the Performing Arts, P.O. Box 89, Round Top, Texas 78954-0089. The family would like to thank everyone for their outpouring of love and support during this difficult time.