- Date Of Birth: October 2, 1936
- Date Of Death: October 14, 2019
- State: Michigan
Juene Barbara Knutel, age 83, of Three Oaks, died peacefully Monday morning, October 14, 2019, with her beloved husband at her side in the Memory Care Unit of Brentwood of Niles.
She was born October 2, 1936 in Joliet, Illinois, the only child of Monte and Martha Atherton. Juene was a graduate of West Aurora High School, class of 1954. After graduation she attended Northern Illinois University where she was a member of the Alpha Sigma Alpha Sorority, and graduated in June, 1958. She married Fred Knutel August 9, 1958 in Aurora, Illinois.
Juene pursued her teaching career at Galien High School beginning in September, 1958. In June, 1974 she enrolled in the University of Notre Dame and received her Masters of Business Administration degree in May, 1977, part of the first class in which Notre Dame accepted women into the Masters graduate program. She then took a teaching job at Lake Michigan College where she taught accounting for twenty-one years, retiring as Accounting Department Chair in 1998. She established the first IT computer labs at the college.
Between 1961 and 1970 Juene and Fred adopted five children from Catholic Charities. She was a member of Saint Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Three Oaks, Michigan where she was very active and taught CCD. She loved to travel and knitted and crocheted many clothing items for her beloved family members, especially her dear grandchildren. Juene loved to play golf and attend basketball and volleyball games at River Valley High School.
Juene will be deeply missed by family and friends. She is survived by her husband of sixty-one years, Fred Knutel of Three Oaks; three daughters, Janet (Brian) Attara of Chicago, Illinois, Julie (Matt) Ungarino of Metairie, Louisiana, Jennifer (Andy) Martz of Dexter, Michigan; two sons, Peter (Judy) Knutel of Knox, Indiana, Phillip (Jennifer) Knutel of Hudson, Massachusetts; and thirteen grandchildren.
