Skip to content
The Archive of The Carrboro Citizen
Menu
  • Home
  • News
  • Community
  • Schools
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Obituaries
  • Sports
  • Mill
  • Flora
  • Print Archive
  • About
Menu

Obituary: Laurance A. Knecht

Posted on June 4, 2009 by Staff

Laurance A. Knecht passed away on May 23, 2009 at his villa in Carolina Meadows of Chapel Hill. He was 77.

Born and raised in Elgin, Illinois, Larry attended the University of Illinois and subsequently received a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Minnesota. During a brief service in the Air Force in 1960, he was stationed in Japan, where he developed a lifelong interest in Japanese art, culture and language. Professionally, he was an active member of the American Chemical Society and a professor of chemistry, first at Iowa State University, then at the University of Cincinnati (where we met his wife, Doris), and then for many years at Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio. In 1982, he came to Chapel Hill as a visiting professor at UNC, but decided to stay longer so that Doris could complete her degree in computer science and work in the Research Triangle Park. He joined the faculty at the North Carolina School of Science and Math, where he enjoyed the friendship of many wonderful colleagues and students. In addition to his love of teaching and chemistry, he was an avid fan of classical music, attending many concerts of the North Carolina Symphony, Carolina Performing Arts concerts, Duke Chapel organ recitals and other area events. Even before moving to Carolina Meadows in the summer of 2008, he was an active member of that community, volunteering to organize reading groups for sight-impaired residents in the health care division there. Generous, friendly and always ready with a joke, he will be greatly missed.

Larry was predeceased by his wife of 40 years, Doris Knecht. He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Anne Knecht and Michael Albrecht of Carrboro; by his brothers David Knecht, of Bedford, MA and Thomas Knecht, of Clarkesville, GA; and by numerous nieces and nephews.

Organization of a memorial service is ongoing; for more information, please contact Anne Knecht or Carolina Meadows. In lieu of flowers, given Larry’s love of classical music, memorial contributions may be made to WCPE public radio, the Carolina Performing Arts or the North Carolina Symphony.

Web Archive

© 2025 The Archive of The Carrboro Citizen | Powered by Minimalist Blog WordPress Theme