Ivan J. Knoeck

Ivan J. Knoeck, 81, of Marathon, passed away on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at Meadows of Marathon, under the care of Heartland Hospice.

He was born in Wausau on November 21, 1944, to the late Sylvester and Lucy (Lang) Knoeck. Ivan grew up and attended school in Marathon. He was united in marriage on May 15, 1971, to Sharon Boehm at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

Ivan loved his family, the farm, and John Deere tractors. He was dedicated to his family, the farm, and his neighbors throughout his life and dealt with the challenges that farming presented over the years. Outside of dairy farming, Ivan was an avid hunter and gardener. Ivan enjoyed picking wild mushrooms, wild asparagus, various wild berries, and butternuts. He enjoyed watching his grandchildren’s ball games and fish fry’s with an old fashioned. Ivan never turned down an invite to visit Paula and Dean at the maple syrup shack during maple syrup time. He was very creative in coming up with repair options for broken machinery and enjoyed coming up with solutions when the challenge presented itself. In his later years, Ivan enjoyed watching nature on his land. He was a lifelong member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Marathon.

Survivors include his children, Joel Knoeck, Paula (Dean) Walters, and Glenn (Lindsey) Knoeck; grandchildren, Emily, Addison, Daisy, Frederick, and Nicholas; brothers, Jacob and Robert Knoeck; and other family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Sharon; and parents, Sylvester and Lucy.

The funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Marathon, with Rev. Msgr. Joseph Diermeier presiding. Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. until the time of service, all at the church. Burial will follow in the parish cemetery. Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com.

A special thank you from the family to Meadows of Marathon, Heartland Hospice, and to Debbie Marzynski for the care, support, and extra help provided to Ivan.