CREEDE— Merle Knous died in his home in Creede on Sunday, April 9.
He was born in Montrose in 1924, the third son of Marie and Lee Knous. Merle was about to have his 93rd birthday in two weeks. He has survived four heart attacks.
His birth was long before his father, the late Wm. Lee Knous, was elected governor of Colorado for the first of his two terms in 1946.
Merle moved to Creede in 1992 with his family, not realizing he would soon be mayor of the small town, after his involvement in the community led him there.
After high school, Merle was a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1943-1946. He earned a law degree from the University of Colorado and worked two years for the Denver Tramway and then two years in the legal department of Sun Oil. He also worked as first assistant attorney for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Denver. He became a Denver district judge in 1964 and held that post for 10 years.
Merle was a big Bronco fan and paid close attention to what was going on in the political word.
He is survived by his wife Burdette and sons Douglas and James and daughter Nancy Benson.
There will be no open funeral service.