Ronny Dale knape's Obituary
Ronny Dale Knape Roberson was born in Nitro, West Virginia in 1948 and passed away on July 20th, 2020 in Richardson, Texas.
His Father, Azul Buford Knape was a welder’s foreman for Oklahoma Pipeline Construction traveling across the country laying pipelines. His mother Clorene Roberson was a licensed practical nurse and her mother was Cherokee. They had four children, Charlotte, Ronny, Shirley and Anthony and seven grandchildren, Jon, Jessica, Kyle, Lillian, Jordan, Wendy and August.
The family traveled to Louisiana, New Mexico, Mississippi, Alabama, Maine, Canada, New Mexico, and Venezuela and ultimately settled in Richardson, Texas.
Ronny attended the University of Texas at Austin where he earned a BA in English and graduated May 26, 1973. For work after college he did the most natural thing to him and became a carpenter. He worked in the building trades most of his adult life.
He was married twice and had three daughters. He loved and cherished his girls, Dr. Jessica Knape, Lillian Knape and Wendy Knape, and ensured that each of them graduated from college and graduate school. He was very proud of his three grandchildren, Austin age 15, Chloe age 12, and Gabriel age 5.
In 1981 he discovered the Rosicrucian Order. Since that time mystical studies were a major influence of his life. He talked frequently of past lives and of reincarnation. He believed he would live on in the afterlife and that he could choose the moment he would pass.
Ronny spent close to 20 years writing a book on loose sheets of paper and in 2012 published his work entitled Libertine Love Songs: a collection of poesy, prosody and prose.
Revolutionary blood runs in Ronny’s veins. His roots run all the way back to the American Revolution, when his great great great grandfather Lt. Nathan Gann fought in the Battle of King’s Mountain. This was a pivotal battle, a turning point in the Revolutionary War, ultimately ensuring the victory of the patriots over England.
Ronny was a champion of the underdog. Whether it was marching for Occupy, protesting for Black Lives Matter, or speaking out against police brutality and for animal rights, Ronny fought for what was right. And he walked the talk. In 2011, when he was 63 years old, after encamping in Freedom Plaza for many months with the other Occupy Demonstrators, he marched over 900 miles in the footsteps of Martin Luther King with “Walkupy,” an offshoot of the Occupy Movement. This journey was chronicled in the book Occupy the Highway. A true patriot, he carried an American flag the entire distance. His family still remembers him leading the final march. Who’s streets? Our streets!
Ronny’s family knows he is continuing his march, fighting for peace and equality, up in heaven.
The service will be held at the graveside for family and close friends on August 3, 2020 at 11:00 am at Restland Funeral Home & Memorial Park in Dallas, Texas. He will be laid to rest next to his parents, brother and sister, and his beloved dog.
What’s your fondest memory of Ronny?
What’s a lesson you learned from Ronny?
Share a story where Ronny's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Ronny you’ll never forget.
How did Ronny make you smile?