Charles Elwood Knowles

Charles Elwood Knowles, 89, of Church Road, VA, passed away Monday, November 25, 2013. Born in Rocky Mount, NC, he was the son of the late Johnnie Adolphus and Mary Margarett West Knowles. He proudly served in the U. S. Marine Corps during World War II. Following his military service, Mr. Knowles resided in Chesapeake, VA, where he started a career in the trucking business. He was the former owner of Delaware Refrigerated Transport in Crozet, VA, and prior to his retirement, worked as an instructor at Tidewater Community College, Frederick Campus. Mr. Knowles was an active member of Central Baptist Church. He was also active in numerous civic and fraternal organizations, to include: 55 years of membership in Lake Drummond Lodge No. 178 A.F. & A.M. and Dinwiddie Lodge No. 136 A.F. & A.M., Victory Chapter No. 6 Order of the Eastern Star, Khedive Shrine in Norfolk, Grassfield Ruritan Club in Chesapeake, and Wilson-Hebron-Ford Ruritan Club in Church Road. He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Lydia Welstead Knowles; sons, C. Michael Knowles and wife, Mary Ann, of Church Road, and John Knowles, Sr. (the late Linda Knowles) of Chesapeake; grandchildren, Charles Knowles, Jr. and wife, Joanne, Shelby Knowles, Rebekah Knowles, John Knowles, Jr. and wife, Vanessa, Katherine Lynn Daniels and husband, Travis, Aaron Rousseau and wife, Lenora, Michelle Preston and husband, Steve, Alicia Gordon and husband, Jeff, and 11 great-grandchildren. A funeral service will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Friday, November 29th at Central Baptist Church, 6405 Courthouse Road, Church Road, VA, with Pastor Jonathan Waits officiating. The family will receive friends for one hour prior to the service. Interment will be held at 2:30 p.m. at Greenlawn Memorial Gardens, Chesapeake, VA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Central Baptist Church, P.O. Box 159, Church Road, VA, 23833. Condolences may be registered at www.jtmorriss.com .