SGT (Ret.) Henry David Berry-Knapp

Henry David Berry-Knapp, age 64, of Richland, Missouri in the Gascozark area passed away peacefully Friday, October 11, 2024, in the Lake Regional Hospital of Osage Beach. After decades of fighting chronic illnesses and various diagnoses, Henry’s battle came to a peaceful end and was reunited with other loved ones who had passed on before him. Prior to his passing, Henry was able to live the last 12 years with someone he was absolutely infatuated with, his wife, Donna. Henry and Donna were united in marriage at the Houston House in Newburg on December 15, 2012. From this point on, even through illness and trials, they still had the greatest times, filled with lots of laughter, watching tons of shows, talking to anyone they could, traveling to new places, or even just goofing around. Henry was born to David Ernie Blazer Sr. and Karola Gertrude (Scheidter) on September 25, 1960 in Schweinfurt, Germany. After becoming a naturalized US citizen with his mother when he was young, Henry was raised in the United States, becoming very patriotic over the years. After turning 18, Henry quickly enlisted in the U.S. Army and served our country with much regard and honor, until being medically discharged with the rank of Sergeant. Following his discharge, Henry then worked as a civil servant for the government, working as a Key Operator in the General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital in Fort Leonard Wood. After being medically retired from civil service, Henry was a stupendous homebody. He was always at the ready to help work on cars, mow a lawn or two, scroll for hours on his computer, play video games, or watch TV shows. Henry was known as a jokester, a goofball, and lived life to the fullest. He loved to listen to a wide range of music – anything from Motown to 90’s Grunge to Metal to Ballads, purposefully flipping letters around in names and titles, eating copious amounts of chocolate, and making fart jokes. He was an absolute diehard Trekkie, who watched every Star Trek series, to the point of nearly memorizing them, with a Klingon dictionary in hand. Henry loved to cruise around looking at car lots to spot nice deals on cars, scouting them out for others, or just admiring their upkeep. He loved to go out to dinner dates for bulgogi, El Jimmies, and Westwood scrambles at the Westwood Café, always talking to every server – getting to know them and tell jokes. Henry was an animal lover, loving to watch and care for birds, especially his finches and conures, taking care of Donna’s ratties and chinchilla, and enjoying animals out in Mother Nature (other than squirrels that would chew the wires in his cars – haha). Henry was preceded in death by his father, David Ernie Blazer Sr.; mother-in-law, Revered Elder Donna Marie Berry Sr; adoptive father: Fred Knapp; nephew, Garrett Knapp; and great-nephew, Bentley Weber. Henry is survived by his mother, Karola; his wife, Donna; his children, Corey Halford (Cynthia), Nicholas Knapp (Nikki), Tiffany Knapp (Lennie), and Jesse Berry (Karma); grandchildren, Alex, Riley, Micah, Alyssa, and Cainan; great grandchild Mozie Grey; grandpuppy Niv; siblings Ina Fernandez, Lesa Helm, Susan Southard, and Roy Knapp; and many more nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who loved him very much. Graveside services with military honors were held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, October 18, 2024 in the Missouri Veterans Cemetery of Waynesville, Missouri. Military honors were provided by the Missouri Honors Team. Services were under the direction of Memorial Chapels and Crematory of Waynesville / St. Robert. Memorial Contributions may be made in memory of Henry Berry-Knapp, and may be left at the funeral home.

SGT (Ret.) Henry David Berry-Knapp

September 25, 1960 - October 11, 2024