Renee Knapp was born and raised in a then rural, small town in the foothills of the Angeles Nation Forest in Southern California. When crowds of people, smog and clogged freeways became every day realities, she escaped to Oregon in 1967 and considered herself a true Oregonian from the first day here.
She earned an MBA from UCLA and worked in the corporate world as head of Human Resources until her move to Oregon. Here she pursued a variety of occupations until able to do what she really wanted – start her own business. In 1976 she moved herself and her building business to Zig Zag. In 1979, she met the love of her life, Bill Knapp, whom she married in November that year. They had 30 wonderful years as partners, best friends and lovers before he passed in 2009.
Bill had just started an excavating company and they quickly merged the two companies into Zig Zag Enterprise and became business partners. In 1988, they started Mountain Building Supply, expanding to a larger building in 1990. Renee operated it until her retirement in 2006 while Bill kept the building/excavating company going until his retirement.
Renee loved her family, church and community. She is a past president of both the Women’s Club and the Chamber of Commerce, served on the board of the Lions Club for years, and as Vice Chair of the Senior Center Board of Directors. She was also a builder member of the Oregon Home Builders Association board for 10 years. She has been an active member of Hoodland Lutheran Church for over 40 years.
She and Bill did extensive traveling, especially after retirement, making trips to Germany, Australia, New Zealand, China, Croatia, Slovenia and several to Italy. They also enjoyed long road trips, where they preferred taking back roads and exploring small towns.
Renee is survived by daughter Debbie Reeves Jensen (Dave), daughter-by-choice Karen Rogers (Jerry), 4 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren. Her husband, daughter Lisa, and sons-by-choice Bill Jr. and Marty predeceased her.
A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, August 10th at 11:00 a.m. at the Hoodland Lutheran Church in Sandy.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that you donate to: The America Cancer Society, Children International, Habitat for Humanity, Friends of Trees or another cause dear to your heart in memory of Renee.