Obituary of Phyllis Knobel

Phyllis Norman Knobel, age 86, of Saranac Lake, died Monday, May 25, 2009 at Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake. Born in Bloomingdale, New York on March 15, 1923, she was the daughter of Thomas and M. Olive (Brundage) Norman. She married Raymond Knobel on June 28, 1947. He predeceased her on October 27, 2005. Mrs. Knobel attended local schools and graduated from Saranac Lake High School in 1941. She later graduated from Simmons College in Boston, MA. She returned to Saranac Lake and later attended the University of Rochester graduating in May of 1947 with an RN degree. Mrs. Knobel worked for one year at the Genesee Hospital in Rochester before moving back to Saranac Lake where she worked as a nurse at Ray Brook Hospital until December of 1948. In January of 1949 she went to work for the General Hospital of Saranac Lake where she had served as the Head Nurse for the E.R. for 27 years until retiring in March of 1984. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, Order of the Amaranth, and was a charter member of the Women's Civic Chamber, all for over 50 years. She was also a Saranac Lake Adult Center member and volunteer, was a Lady Shiner, a member of the Bloomingdale Methodist Church and was involved in bringing MAST to the area which became North Country Life Flight. She was instrumental in establishing the Saranac Lake Volunteer Fire Department's Rescue Squad in the 1960's. She was also a Girl Scout and Cub Scout leader as well as their camp nurse on several occasions. Mrs. Knobel was a Red Cross volunteer and taught an EMT course for them as well. She was also a Blood Bank volunteer and was a member of the Red Hat Club. She is survived by four sons Robert Norman Knobel and his wife Susan of Whites Creek, TN, Richard David Knobel and his wife Elaine of Bloomingdale, R. Russell Knobel and his wife Wanda of Saranac Lake, and Randall Phillip Knobel and his wife Lori of Lockport, NY; six grandchildren Kristie Rae Knobel, Mackenzie Lynn Knobel, Russell Thomas Knobel, Richard David Knobel, Curtis Michael Knobel and Phillip Kyle Knobel; one brother Thomas Charles Norman II and his wife Barbara of Saranac Lake and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father and mother. Calling hours will take place at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home on Thursday, May 28, 2009 from 2PM -4PM and 6PM - 8PM. An Order of the Eastern Star Service will take place at 7:30 PM on Thursday Evening. A funeral service will take place at 11:00 AM on Friday May 29, 2009 at the Bloomingdale Methodist Church, with Rev. Andrea Sears officiating. Burial will follow at Brookside Cemetery in Bloomingdale. Friends wishing to remember Phyllis Norman Knobel may make memorial contributions to Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children, Saranac Lake Adult Center or the Saranac Lake Vol. Fire Dept. Rescue Squad in care of the funeral home. Family and friends may also share their memories and sign the online guestbook at fortunekeoughfuneralhoem.com.