Gerald Bethuel Knox

Gerald “Jerry” Bethuel Knox, 91, passed away peacefully on Sunday, December 20, 2020 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Jerry was born on his family’s farm in Alda, Nebraska on September 12, 1929. After graduating from Wood River High School and adventuring to Hawaii to sell vacuum cleaners door-to-door, Jerry enlisted in the United States Air Force where he served as a Chaplain’s Aide in Okinawa, Japan. Jerry then returned home to begin his career with Montgomery Ward. He met his loving wife, Trenna Hutchinson, and they were married on May 23rd, 1955 in Denver, Colorado. Jerry and Trenna began raising their family and moving throughout the Midwest with Montgomery Ward. One of their stops was in Green Bay where Jerry opened the first anchor store at Bay Park Square. While in Green Bay, Jerry served on the boards of many organizations, some of which included the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, and American Red Cross. He was very proud to be a charter member of the Green Bay Packers’ Hall of Fame and one of the original riders of the Beja Shriners SuperCycle. After leaving Green Bay, the family moved on to open a new store in Roseville, Minnesota, and then finally to Tucson, Arizona where Jerry retired in 1991. He continued to serve others by delivering food to the homeless through his church, St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Tucson. Jerry loved holidays with family, puttering in his vegetable gardens, joining friends on hunting and fishing trips in his Airstream, and spending summers with his grandchildren and the snowbirds at St. Norbert College. Jerry cherished many lifelong friendships and seemed to run into someone he knew wherever he went. Not knowing someone was always his invitation to make a new friend.
Gerald is survived by his daughter Jennifer (Jon Bake) of De Pere, WI, his son John Knox (Dominick Armijo) of Santa Fe, NM, and his grandchildren Shelby, Erin, Brandon, and Devon; brother and sister-in-law, Richard and Lois Knox of Alda, NE; sister-in-law, Pat Knox of Grand Island, NE; cousins, nieces, nephews, and many, many very special friends and neighbors. Gerald was preceded in death by his wife Trenna; daughter, Susan; an infant son, Michael; father and mother, Bethuel and Elsie Knox; and brother Harold. A private family service will be held. Jerry’s cremains will be combined with Trenna’s and Susan’s and buried in the Alda Cemetery at a later date.
Our family would like to thank the loving staff at The Courtyard at Bellevue, the doctors and nurses of Bellin Hospital, and Unity Hospice for their excellent care and compassion. Cotter Funeral Home of DePere is assisting the family. Online condolences may be expressed at cotterfuneralhome.com.