Gerald "Pete" Knowlton, 75 of Mendota passed away June 17, 2020 at OSF St. Anthony's Medical Center, Rockford.

Graveside services will be Saturday at 11:00 a.m. at Wisner Cemetery with Rev. Steve Mindrup officiating. Military rites will be presented by Mendota VFW Post 4079. Visitation will be Friday from 4-7 p.m. at the Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota. Attendees will be allowed in 4 at a time to keep the total number of people in the chapel at 10 per COVID-19 recommendations, and then asked to leave our ramp entrance after greeting the wife and daughters. Attendees are required to wear a mask for entrance and asked to practice social distancing while waiting in line. The family appreciates your consideration during these times.

If you ever met Pete and really got to know him, you were blessed. Everyone that did that, came out ahead in understanding what he was about, what he stood for.

Born on March 9, 1945 in Barron, Wisconsin, he was the 7th child of 14 born to Duane and Ida (Greenwold) Knowlton.

When Pete was 5 the family moved to Illinois where he grew up and went to school in Meriden, Arlington and High School in LaMoille. If you would talk to him about it, he could tell you stories from his heart about his family, his schooling, his friends and classmates, just people he knew growing up in a small town. I met Pete in August 1990 at the Sweet Corn Festival in Mendota. He had been married and divorced for many years with 3 daughters that meant the world to him. I was divorced with two sons, already out of the home. To be honest with you, I thought, he's not my type. Why you ask? In the past I was drawn to city boys where I grew up. What do we have in common, how can I relate to him, do I want to? I must say it didn't take long till this blue-eyed sweetheart of mine, showed me why I needed to. You see, he has always been such a good, kind, gentle and loving man. When he loves, it's all or nothing at all. You are his reason for getting up in the morning and having a awesome day no matter the weather. I don't recall very many people that he would see any wrong in. If he saw your goodness, he would wrap his love around you and make you know that he was there thru thick and thin. He won't ever treat you with disrespect even if you do it to him. Pete has so much goodness to pass around, consider yourself lucky to have gotten a piece of it if you wanted to. His love for his family is known by all and it grew deeper over the years. Melonie, Michelle, Monica and Devin know how lucky they are. The love between Pete and these children is deeper them the Ocean and as high as heaven above! He raised them to become all that they can be. He instilled in them his pride, love, goodness, honesty and the ability to work hard for a great future. They have all risen up and met these things straight on and way above what any parents could want.

Pete loved his VFW Post 4079 Post in Mendota. He had been Bar Chairman there for many years and helped it go forward with his ideas and his means to keep raising money so this proud club could always be there for our heroes in life. He served two years in the United States Army and was stationed in Korea. He put his heart and soul, in his pride of being a veteran!

We have taken our Sunday morning rides to Arlington and LaMoille hundreds of times over many years. When we got there, he will start his stories, of love , memories of these towns and what it meant to live and school there. He would show me each home and who lived in them, places he played as a young boy. Memories of people places and the things that made him the man he is today. I cherished each story he told and never got tired of any of it. How could I not see his pride of the memories he has stored within himself of growing up and loving to have been a part of a small town.

Are we sad, oh yes, does it hurt, so much, but his children, grandchildren, family and friends need you to know that are so lucky to have been brought into his arms and heart. He spread all his goodness upon us and we are so much better off in this life to have gotten a part of him that will continue and grow in years to come. Lucky doesn't cover the feeling we have of being part of his life and getting his help in making us so much better from knowing him. So know that we are okay, we love and have each other, he'll still be the reason we'll be strong and go forward with him guiding the way. He'll watch over us and be by our side always and forever!

He was preceded in death by his parents, son Anthony Soto, son in law James Dankenbring, three brothers Delbert (Geneva) Knowlton, Donnie (Mary) Knowlton, Bill Knowlton, three sisters Charlotte (Skip) Walker, Janet Blackwell and Connie Drummer and brother in law Rich Heinzeroth.

He is survived by his wife Linda Knowlton of Mendota; four children Melonie (Oris) Dearborn, Michelle (Dave) Barkman, Monica (Todd) Zimmerlein, and Alex (Shelly) Soto; two brothers Larry (Martha) Knowlton and Kevin (Lori) Knowlton; five sisters Marlene (Jim) Sloan, Barb Heinzeroth, Bev (Jim) Muzzarelli, Marilyn (Ron) Hopps, Kathie (Kent) Biederstedt; grandchildren Daniel, Evan, Hope, Paityn, KayLee, Charlee, Jaxson, Jake, Devin, Ulysses, Irene, Sebastian and Xavier; brothers in law Herb (Lois) Blackwell, Joe Drummer; sister in law Kathy Knowlton and nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be directed to Mendota VFW Post 4079.