Eldred "Soupy" Kneebone

Eldred “Soupy” Kneebone Jr., 92, was born on November 9, 1923 in Mineral Hills. He was the son of Eldred Kneebone Sr. and Lydia Trewartha Kneebone. He attended the Homer School and graduated from Iron River High School in 1942. Eldred enlisted in the US Navy after graduation. After boot camp at Great Lakes Naval Training Station, he attended Cook and Baker's School in Michigan City, Indiana. Eldred then served aboard the troop transport, U.S.S. General John Pope, ferrying troops to the European Theater of War, then later to the Pacific, where they also transferred causalities to allied countries in the South Pacific as well as back to the United States. Eldred had served for nine months in the jungle in the Philippines when Japan surrendered and the war ended. He was awarded the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Ribbon, American Campaign Ribbon, Philippine Liberation Medal, European-African Mid-East Campaign Ribbon, Korean Medal and the Good Conduct Medal. He was honorably discharged in February of 1946. On June 16, 1946 he married Dorothy Bernhardt at her family home in Nash District. He was called back to active duty in the Korean War in 1952 and served aboard the mine sweep U.S.S. Gayety until his discharge in 1955. He is survived by his two sons, John (Patti) of Indianapolis and Tom (Nora) Kneebone of Iron River, and one daughter, Barbara (Don) Sheill of Iron River. Four grandsons survive: Michael (Angela) of Indianapolis, IN, David (Casi) of Burbank, CA, Thomas (T.J.) of Vale, CO and Daniel (Jessie) Kneebone of Iron River. Two granddaughters survive: Theresa (Ron Kim) Kneebone of Exeter, NH and Elizabeth (Diana Hristova) Kneebone of Washington, DC. Five great grandchildren survive: Maya and Sam Kneebone Kim of Exeter, NH, Johnathan, Charlie and James Kneebone of Indianapolis, IN, Elliot and Clara Kneebone of Burbank, CA and Alexander Hristova Kneebone of Washington DC. He was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Dorothy, his parents, a brother Melvin Kneebone and a niece, Sandra Kneebone. After the war he was employed by the US Forest Service, Rad's Auto Bar, the Iron River Ford Garage, then by the Hanna Mining Co., until his retirement in 1981 when the Groveland Mine closed. His free time was filled with camping, fishing and hunting. He will be remembered as a great story teller. Memorial service will be held on Wednesday, July 27, 2016 at 11 a.m. at the Grace Covenant Church with Rev. James Swanson II to officiate. Interment will be in Rosehill Cemetery at a later date. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Eldred "Soupy" Kneebone, please visit our flower store.