MENDOTA - Delbert “Del” Leroy Knowlton, 85, of Mendota went to be with the Lord on March 20, 2019 at his home surrounded by his family.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, March 26 at First United Methodist Church, Mendota with Rev. Mary Bohall officiating. Burial will be at Wisner Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. on Monday, March 25 at the church. Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota is handling the arrangements.

Del was born July 4, 1933 in Baron, Wis. to Duane and Ida (Greenwold) Knowlton. He married Geneva Black on June 29, 1952 in Meriden.

Survivors include four children, Michael (Kimberly) Knowlton of DeKalb, Rodney Knowlton of Lake Carroll, James (Cindy) Knowlton of Dixon and Sandra (Brad) Bradford of Mendota; 11 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; one great-great-granddaughter; three brothers, Larry (Martha) Knowlton of Olney, Gerald "Pete" (Linda) Knowlton and Kevin (Lori) Knowlton both of Mendota; five sisters, Marlene (Jim) Sloan of Mendota, Beverly (Jim) Muzzarelli of Cherry, Barbara Heinzeroth of Mendota, Marilyn (Ronald) Hopps of LaMoille and Kathie (Kent) Biederstedt of Mendota.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his beloved wife, Geneva in 2016; one daughter, Patricia Sue; three sisters, Charlotte Walker, Janet Blackwell and Connie Drummer; and two brothers Donald Knowlton and Bill Knowlton.

Del was not born or raised in Mendota but he spent most of this life serving the people of the Worlds Greatest Little City. He was originally from Baron, Wis., the oldest of 14 children of Duane and Ida Knowlton. He came to Mendota at 18 for the first time on Sept. 24, 1950 to visit his parents who moved here a year earlier. He was out of work at the time as the farmer who he had been working for was struck by lightning and died. The day after his arrival in Mendota, he applied for a job and started working for General Telephone Company the very next day. That was the beginning of a 42-year career with GTE. Making 75 cents per hour, he started on the line crew in Somonauk but traveled throughout the state installing and repairing telephone poles and lines. Due to his unparalleled work ethic and dedication, he was promoted several times becoming a manager in both Wisconsin and Illinois before he retired in 1991. To state Delbert was active and involved in the Mendota community is an incredible understatement. Among his many activities and involvements are Mendota Rotary Club, Mendota Moose Lodge, Mendota Golf Club, Exalted Ruler of Mendota Elks Lodge 1212 and loved his time there, Assistant Fire Chief of Mendota Fire Department, tornado spotter for Civil Defense, Mendota Civic Center board member, Mendota Museum and Historical Society Board, past president of Mendota Chamber of Commerce, Toys for Tots, Operation Elf Action, and the Mendota Sweet Corn Festival where he was proud and honored with the title of grand marshal just two years ago. Other than the times he lived in Belvidere and Wisconsin, Del served as a Mendota alderman beginning in 1981 and regretfully had to resign when he moved out of his ward to Stonecroft Village after the loss of his beloved Geneva. Mayor David Boelk would not let him leave quietly so he created a new position as Senior Community Liaison working with the seniors of Mendota helping them set up programs and giving them a voice at city council meetings. In 2004, he was awarded with the Citizens of the Year award and in 2014 he was honored with the HD Hume Award for Outstanding Community Service at the annual Mendota Chamber of Commerce dinner. Lastly, Del continued to make new friends until his passing and was fortunate to spend the last year with a very special friend, Joan DeWeerth, also from Stonecroft. She provided many hours of friendship and companionship. He was so beloved by the residents and staff they referred to him as the “Mayor of Stonecroft.”

Memorials may be directed to First United Methodist Church, Mendota.