John was first licensed in 1955. He lived in Oklahoma for awhile and held W5OYG. He moved back to Kansas in 1973 and retrieved K0EQY. John owned and operated the Ben Franklin variety store in downtown Hillsboro, KS. He started selling ham radio equipment in a back room at the store. He then started the BF Electronics store in downtown Hillsboro, selling ham radio equipment, consumer electronics, and land mobile radio. During this period (end of the 70s t to early 80s), BF Electronics advertised monthly in QST magazine, and sold equipment to hams all over the world by mail order. John was one of my elmers, along K0PFU, Dave. http://www.bakerfhwichita.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=4441474&fh_id=14123
My Condolences. John E. Knaak, K0EQY SK 10-10 Number: 11219 John Knaak Sr. (October 13, 1938 - November 11, 2017) John Edward Knaak Sr., 79, of Hillsboro Kansas, passed away on Saturday, November 11, 2017. John Edward Knaak Sr., the first of three sons of Anton N. and Irma Shahan Knaak, was born October 13, 1938 in Winchester, Illinois. John graduated from Hillsboro High School in 1956, and graduated from Emporia State College in 1960. He married Windell (Wendy) Acree on July 17, 1960 in Emporia Kansas. He started work for S.H. Kress Company in Wichita, Kansas. In 1962 moved to Macon, Missouri where his daughter Cheryl was born. In 1965 moved to Oklahoma City working for T.G. & Y as an associate manager. Managed his first store in Duncan, Oklahoma where his son John was born in 1967. Several years later he managed a T.G. & Y family center in Lawton, Oklahoma. In 1973 he bought the Ben Franklin Store in Hillsboro, Kansas which Wendy and John ran until 1995. John was elected president of the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce for one term in 1975. John enjoyed his hobbies such as Ham radio and K0EQY were his call letters. John enjoyed golf as a member of the Hillsboro Golf Course from 1973 until his death. John also enjoyed watching football and baseball games. John is survived by Wendy, his wife of 57 years, their son, John (LeaAnn) Knaak, Jr. of Hillsboro, Kansas; their daughter, Cheryl (Brian) Smith of Independence, Missouri, a brother Richard (Marilyn) Knaak of Enid, Oklahoma, a sister-in-law DeeAnn Knaak of Emporia, Kansas; and two grandchildren, Tiffany (Jason) Funk of Hillsboro Kansas, and Brooke Knaak of Newton, Kansas. John was preceded in death by his parents Anton N. and Irma Knaak, and a brother R. Bruce Knaak. Cremation is planned. The family will have a Celebration of Life for John with a time and place to be announced at a later date. http://www.bakerfhwichita.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=4441474&fh_id=14123
