George Knapp

The Life Deacon George Knapp was born on November 20, 1932, to the late Chester B. Knapp, Sr., and Evangelist Edna Green Knapp, in Brooklyn, New York, and upon his birth, maintained the distinction of being the first baby born in Bethel Holy Church, New York City, New York. He untimely departed this life on February 18, 2020. When the family moved to Bridgeton, New Jersey, Deacon Knapp spent his youth on the Robinson Farm, which enabled him to establish and create life-long friendships with brothers Everett and Wendell Lloyd, family of the late Elder William Faison, the Bell Family, especially mother Mary Farmer, whose mother was one of George’s babysitters. After leaving high school, Deacon Knapp enlisted in the United Sates Army, doing tours of duty in Germany and Korea. When Deacon Knapp’s family moved back to New York City, they went back to attending Bethel Holy Church, where he became a member under the leadership of the late Bishop James Bell. It was there that he met the love of this life, Annie Miller and they were united in holy matrimony on July 1, 1961. In his latter years at Bethel Holy Church, with the late Bishop Joseph Bell, Sr., and then later at the Mt. Zion Holy Church, Milton, under the leadership of Bishop Grace R. Batten, Deacon Knapp consistently maintained a life of service to others and to God. Deacon Knapp was an exemplary example and a God fearing and dedicated deacon to both churches. Deacon Knapp was employed by Dellwood Dairy Farm and by the City of New York as a trash truck driver and loader, with more than 40 years of public service, until his retirement. Some of his favorite songs were “Jesus Be a Fence” and “He looked Beyond My Faults.” Our most memorable times with him are when we would walk in on him singing, most of the time, way off key, and his immediate response was “I know I can’t sing it like Edith!” and then he would go back to singing and beating the tambourine until he would get happy. Deacon George Knapp is survived by his sister-in-law, Sister Esther Knapp of Milton, DE; his caregivers/nieces, Helena and Rochelle Knapp of Milton, DE; namesake nephew, George S. Knapp of Houston, TX; nieces that he helped raise, Niomi and Deasha Nelson of New York; and a host of other nephews, nieces, cousins and family, including his church families of Bethel Holy Church, New York, NY and Mt. Zion Holy Church in Milton, DE.

George Knapp

November 20, 1932 - February 18, 2020