By now I am assuming many people have heard that long-time Port of Silverdale Commissioner Harry Knapp passed away Monday (Dec. 1).

I wrote a short story about Knapp in Tuesday’s paper that can be read here. I also wanted to blog about Knapp and his influence in Silverdale by posting thoughts from his friends here. His death touched a lot of people, and I would like to share some of his friends’ memories. Please feel free to comment also, and let other people know your favorite memory of Knapp, or give an example of how he touched your life.

In a phone conversation with Hank Mann-Sykes, a friend of Knapp’s, he told me how he and his family used to be invited by Knapp to watch the Whaling Days fireworks from his house. Knapp’s home sits on the hill above Old Town Silverdale, so it was the perfect location to watch the fireworks from. It also was the perfect place for Knapp to keep an eye on the port property and Old Town, Mann-Sykes said. He said Knapp had a telescope pointed at the Waterfront Park and that even when at home Knapp was always watching over the port property to make sure things were safe.

Fellow port commissioner and longtime friend of Knapp’s, Lawrence Greaves said the same of Knapp. That he loved the port district and the port property and was always looking out for it. Port attorney Phil Best said Knapp would stop into the port office regularly and had route he always drove through Old Town. He was considered the area’s unofficial patrol man, driving the streets multiple times a day. When he fell ill about a month ago — he had a heart attack while chopping wood — business owners immediately noticed his absence and asked Best where he’d gone.

Best and Greaves also talked about Knapp’s role in the development of the Silverdale waterfront. He was a port commissioner when the decision was made to purchase the property where the Silverdale Waterfront Park now sits. At the time it could have been developed into commercial use, but the port purchased the land, wanting to keep it public space, Greaves said. The port traded the property with the county, which owned the land that now holds the port parking lot, boat launch and bathrooms. Knapp was instrumental in the development of that area, Best and Greaves said, including the dock and facilities.

Mann-Sykes and friend Carla Larson both commented on Knapp’s garden, stating they considered it the best garden in all of Kitsap County. Larson sent me an email with some of her thoughts about Knapp, which I will share because it’s better to let her say it in her own words. Here’s what she has to say about Knapp and the role he played in her life:

I’ve known Harry my whole life. My mother used to babysit him when he was little. I graduated from CKHS with his daughter who passed 5 years ago.

Harry was Mr. Silverdale, Sorry Hank and Barry, Harry was raised here in Silverdale his whole life. He really cared about the community and the people here. He was the big push to get the port going and help improve the Port/Park area year after. He kept visitors in mind too while designing the port/park bathrooms, having what was needed installed.

Harry was of the old school, nothing wrong with a good paddle if you deserved it, usually a good scolding was enough. I had my share from Harry but will always remember it was right in the end.

Harry was always a good one to tell a story from the past, how things have changed over the years, and how you have to keep ahold of some of that change. I could talk with Harry for hours and learn something new each time whether it was respecting someone else more for something they did and know one knew it to trying to figure out what to do to better Silverdale.

Lots of the younger generation thought of Harry as the old man who drove around early in the morning when in fact he was checking out the Port/park area and the rest of town to make sure things were right. Harry would sit and watch kids on their skateboards doing all kinds of tricks that he himself would never think of doing at a young age.

Harry had the greatest sense of humor. Even after getting after me for not contacting someone to do with Whaling Days Festival, he had a joke or funny story to tell. Harry was Silverdale through and through. He thought of the teenagers when we of the Whaling Days board (I’m Secretary) were trying to change things to have for teenagers. When we decided to bring in Davis Amusements carnival a few years ago Harry was excited. He’d tell me, “it’s about time”.

People of Silverdale don’t realize it takes a lot to have the wonderful waterfront we have at Silverdale Waterfront Park. Harry was a huge part of it. His shoes will be hard to fill by one person.

I will miss seeing him almost daily in July while I kept checking with him to see if I had all my bases covered with the Port for Whaling Days. If you were out early any day you’d see Harry checking out town but now, the truck is parked, no Harry around, I’ll keep the memories I have of Harry in my heart forever.

Harry, you are with some wonderful people who have lead the way. Now it’s your turn to tell them some new stories.

(photo courtesy of Phil Best | Harry Knapp rides in the back of a pickup truck with his grandchildren as the Whaling Days Parade Grand Marshal in July 2006.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008 at 2:23 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.