Plaistow, NH: William E. Knowles, 88, of Plaistow, died peacefully Saturday evening, December 15, 2018, at the High Pointe Hospice House, surrounded by his loving family.

Born in Exeter, NH, he was a resident of Hampton, NH, and Haverhill, MA, before moving to Plaistow in 1966.

A graduate of Hampton Academy, Mr. Knowles received his engineering degree from Merrimac College and was employed as a senior engineer at Raytheon Co. at the time of his retirement in 1990.

A former member of the U.S. Naval Reserve, he participated in submarine training in New London, CT, and served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict. He served honorably as a member of the 8th Bomb Squadron, 3rd Bomb Wing and was a recipient of the Good Conduct Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Presidential Unit Citation.

A longtime member of Saint Luke the Evangelist Parish and the former Holy Angels Parish of Plaistow, Mr. Knowles served as an usher and was a volunteer at the food pantry. He also served for many years as the Chairman of the Holy Angels Cemetery Committee, and along with the late Martin Feuer, spent many hours updating improvements at the cemetery. He also served for twenty years as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Kimi Nichols Center in Plaistow, and enjoyed his time helping and visiting with the clients of the Center.

Mr. Knowles was a member of the R.C. Aces Flying Club at North Hampton, with his late brother James, and The Academy of Model Aeronautics, and was involved in the building and flying of radio control model airplanes. He was also a member of the American Contract Bridge League, holding the rank of National Master, and also a member of the Carl David Post # 34 of the American Legion, and the Merri-Valles Square Dance Club. He enjoyed gardening, completing puzzles, coaching his two sons in Plaistow Youth Baseball and traveling to California to visit his daughter and her family.

Mr. Knowles is survived by his wife Marjorie, with whom he celebrated sixty-six years of marriage, a daughter MaryBeth Knowles-Yuhas and her husband Joseph Yuhas of California, sons, Mark F. Knowles and his wife Mary Lou of Atkinson, and Paul J. Knowles of Haverhill, MA, three grandchildren, Angus James. and Midori Knowles, and Devon Yuhas, a sister, Priscilla Jean Griffin of Rochester, and several nieces and nephews, especially Sandra Brown and Deborah Knowles. He was predeceased by his brother James and sister Eleanor.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend his calling hours to be held on Friday, December 21, 2018 from 3 to 7 p.m. at Brookside Chapel & Funeral Home, 116 Main ST., Plaistow, NH. His funeral service will begin on Saturday at 9 a.m. from the funeral home with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. in Holy Angels Church of Saint Luke the Evangelist Parish, 8 Atkinson Depot Road, Plaistow. Burial with military honors will follow in Holy Angels Cemetery. The family requests that memorial donations be made to The Kimi Nichols Center, 17 East Road, Plaistow, NH. To send a message of condolence to the family please visit, www.brooksidechapelfh.com .