John E. Knecht ’75 died on October 20, 2007, in Peoria, Arizona.

He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on May 22, 1949, and graduated from Saint Edward High School. He earned an associate degree from Arizona Western College in 1973 before attending Bowdoin for one year. He went on to study at Northern Arizona University. He served to sergeant in the Marine Corp. He came in fourth place when he competed as an amateur wrestler, along with his brother Edward, for the nascent World Sambo Games in Russia in 1975. He retired as an auditor CPA. He is survived by his father, Edward J. Knecht; wife, Anna Isabelle Salas-Knecht; son John David Knecht; sisters Louise Tercasio, Mary Sender, Karen Perhacs, Patricia Knecht, Sharon Beinker-Knecht and Annmarie LeHoty; brothers Dennis, Edward and Raymond Knecht. He was predeceased by his mother, Annamay Knecht.