Eric "Rick" P. Knurr

Eric Paul “Rick” Knurr, Jr. of Kalamazoo passed away on January 30, 2024, after an adventurous life filled with music, dancing, games, travel, plenty of laughter and most importantly, abundant love.  Rick was born on August 2, 1943, in the Bronx, New York City to Eric and Dorothea Knurr.  Moving to New Jersey, he graduated from Lodi High in Saddlebrook where he was an avid athlete and star basketball player.

After graduation he enlisted in the US Army where he served as a radio engineer for Armed Forces Radio in Verdun, France. After discharge from the Army, he relocated to Michigan for college and while there met and married his wife of 56 years, Joy Sweeris.  Rick and Joy raised their children in Grandville, MI, but once their girls were grown, his career in the garment industry had them relocating to several US states and him working on various Caribbean Islands. 

Rick cherished his family and besides Joy he is survived by his two daughters, Melissa Tracey of Indiana and Jennifer (Frank) Shumsky of Ypsilanti; his four grandchildren, Kara (Byron) Gough, Kevin Tracey, and Xavier and Erica Shumsky.  Also surviving are his brother, Kenneth Knurr of Fernandina Beach, FL and a sister, Dotti (Tim) O’Leary of Apopka, FL.  Besides his parents, Rick was preceded in death by his son-in-law, John Tracey.

A Celebration of Rick’s life will be held Friday, February 16, 2024 at the Langeland Family Funeral Homes Burial & Cremation Services, 3926 S 9th St, Kalamazoo, MI 49009 with visitation beginning at 10:00 am until the service time at 11:00 am with Pastor Simon Tuin of Heritage CRC officiating. Interment will take place at Fort Custer National Cemetery in Augusta, MI.  In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Rick’s honor to either JB’s Keys to DMD, PO Box 446, Dover, MA 02030 https://jbskeys.org/donate.html

Or Beyond Type 1 https://beyondtype1.org/donate/ or to the charity of your choice. To view Rick’s personalized webpage, please visit https://www.langelands.com