Charmaine L. (Chopp) Kneevers passed from this earthly life to eternal life on Sunday, March 15, 2026 at Lake House – Sheboygan. She was 95 years old.
The daughter of Joseph Wm. Chopp, Jr. and Helen Flora (Keune) Chopp, Charmaine was born on July 2, 1930 in Sheboygan Wisconsin and was baptized into the Christian faith on August 17, 1930 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Sheboygan. She grew up in Kohler, Wisconsin and graduated from Kohler High School in 1948.
After working as a stenographer at the Kohler Co., she realized one of her life-dreams, to become a teacher. She graduated magna cum lauda from The Stout Institute, Menomonie, Wisconsin (now UW-Stout) with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Home Economics Education. She taught Home Economics at Mayville High School and then married Earl E. Kneevers, Jr. on August 14, 1954 at Bethany Lutheran Church in Kohler, Wisconsin, after which they moved to South Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where they raised their children and worked for nearly forty years.
Charmaine realized another life-dream, having a family: a daughter, Charyl, and two sons, Jeffrey and Paul. She loved being a full-time homemaker for fifteen years and then went back to teaching in the South Milwaukee Vocational School, now part of the Milwaukee Area Technical College. She earned a Master of Science Degree in Administration Leadership – Adult Education Major at UW-Milwaukee in 1976. She worked at the South Campus of Milwaukee Area Technical College as Associate Dean of Consumer and Hospitality Services, retiring in 1989 after twenty years as a teacher and administrator of adult education programs.
In retirement, Charmaine pursued writing and published two family historical books. Aunt Norma’s Centerville Favorites (1996) is a historical cookbook in memory of her Aunt Norma Keune Strattman, and Pearls of Wisdom – Christian Musing of Life Events (2004) is a book of writings of her Aunt Pauline, Sr. Taddine Chopp, O.S.F. She co-authored two other historical books with her husband, Earl: The Kneevers Hotel – A Sheboygan Landmark, 1887-1978 (1998), and the Sheboygan Socialists (2003). Charmaine enjoyed membership in the St. Paul Ladies Auxiliary, the Sheboygan Falls American Legion Auxiliary – Post #149, and Phi Upsilon Omicron, National Home Economics Honorary Fraternity.
Throughout her life, she loved music, playing her violin and singing as a soloist in church and community choirs. As a home economist, she was constantly doing sewing, quilting, and knitting handiwork for family members and church folks. Her favorite past time was being with her granddaughters, teaching them to sew for 4H and having fun cooking in her kitchen.
Survivors of Charmaine Kneevers include her daughter Charyl (Mark) Zehfus; son Paul (Katherine) Kneevers; cherished granddaughters, Holly (Mikel Johnson) Zehfus and Lily Zehfus (fiancé Sean Devlin); brother Joseph (Patricia) Chopp; sisters-in-law Diane Chopp and Norma Engiswick; Chopp, Kneevers and Keune family cousins, nieces, and nephews, including Tim and Kathy Becker, and friends.
In addition to her parents, Charmaine was preceded in death by her dear husband and closest friend, Earl; a beloved son, Jeffrey Earl Kneevers, who passed away in 1964 at the age of seven years; brother Gerald Louis Chopp; and sisters-in-law, June Kneevers (William) Becker and Barbara Teppen.
The memorial service for Charmaine Louise Kneevers will be held at 1:00PM on Saturday April 11, 2026 at St. Mark Lutheran Church in Sheboygan. Visitation will be held at the church on Saturday from 11:30AM-1:00PM. Burial of her urn will be in Lutheran Cemetery, Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to St. Mark Lutheran Church (Sheboygan) or South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center.
The family wishes to thank the thoughtful, kind staff of Lake House and Sharon S. Richardson Community Hospice, St. Mark Lutheran Church and Pastor Tyler, and the many family and friends that have supported and cared for Charmaine and her family.
The Wenig Funeral Home – Sheboygan Falls (920-467-3431) is assisting the family with arrangements.
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