Samuel K. Kniffen Sr.
Samuel Keenan Kniffen Sr. was born on August 31, 1921, in Brooklyn, New York, and he died on July 18, 2004, at the age of 82, in Vermillion, South Dakota. He was a devoted husband, loving father, faithful Catholic, unswerving patriot, and friend to all.
His parents were Otis and Regina (Keenan) Kniffen and he was raised in Rockville Centre, NY. He remembered using chewing gum to patch a tire on his first car, a Model T. He enlisted in the Army Air Force in 1943 and served in the United States Air Force for 25 years, flying over 10,000 hours as a navigator.
He was a veteran of three wars; WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, and he received the Purple Heart for injuries received in WWII. On May 12, 1943, his B-17 airplane, "Return Trip Ticket," was shot down over Germany and he parachuted into the night. The pilot, a close friend, went down with the plane. Sam's back was broken upon impact with a tree and he was unable to free himself from his parachute. Dad said that while he was hanging in the tree, the Germans stood below him and smoked cigarets and argued about whether or not to shoot him. One of them finally climbed the tree and cut his parachute ropes. His left leg was broken when he fell to the ground. He escaped from the German POW camp but was recaptured when his partner spoke to a German woman who alerted the authorities. He remained a POW until Germany surrendered to American forces. Dad always said that he was well-treated as a POW. He went on to serve in the next two wars. During peacetime he was the Chief Financial Officer at Macguire Air Force Base. He retired on July 4, 1968, as a lieutenant colonel at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.
On Aug. 23, 1954, he married Jane Elizabeth Wyman of Amityville, Long Island, NY, and loved her more dearly each year of their marriage.
While serving in the military, he earned a master's degree in accounting and in 1968 he began a second career in the field of education. He was a professor of business at Ohio Northern University, the University of Arkansas, and in 1976 he moved his family to Vermillion and became a professor at The University of South Dakota, where he retired in 1986. He enjoyed great success with the accounting and auditing programs at the University of South Dakota, always spoke highly of his colleagues, and was very proud of his students' achievements.
Sam Sr. was an active member of the Vermillion community, a Rotarian, and a member of Saint Agnes Catholic Church. He greatly valued his friendships with his immediate neighbors. He was intelligent, colorful and outgoing. He enjoyed fishing, sailing, playing the stock market on the Internet, and he loved to watch sports. His family was his primary focus, however, and he always strove to keep peace within the family and he continually stressed the importance of forgiveness.
He held strong opinions on many subjects and never shied away from sharing his opinions. He had a wry sense of humor. He loved to talk about his flying days. His fighting spirit had a firm grip on life until the very end.
He is survived by his wife Jane; his brother, Bruce (Louise) of Naples, FL; his sister, Betty Hanlon, of Orlando, FL; his children, Gary, of New York City, Samuel (Sara), of Vermillion, Jeffrey, of St. Louis, MO, Nancy (Tom) Craig, of Vermillion, David, of Vermillion, Keith, of Dallas, TX, and Brian (Amy), of Iowa; and his grandchildren, Chelsea Joy King: brothers Tommy Craig, Daniel Craig, Joshua Craig, Samuel Craig, and Rylan Craig; siblings Kyle and Bethany Kniffen; and siblings Samuel Keenan Kniffen III, Peter Kniffen, and Rosalie Kniffen.
He was cremated in Vermillion, SD, according to his wishes, and his ashes are in the care of Nancy Craig, awaiting to be reunited with his wife, Jane, who is currently residing in the Sanford Vermillion Care Center.
His family is very grateful for the care and compassion of the staff at the Sioux Valley Vermillion Care Center and Hospital, and the kind assistance provided by Hansen Funeral Home.
