Bill Knoll
Feb 11, 2021
USA Rice extends condolences to the family and friends of William Lowe “Bill” Knoll, who passed away February 5, at the age of 97. He was preceded in death by Sandy, his wife of 59 years.
Bill was a native son of Stuttgart, Arkansas, and met Sandy while stationed in Rome in 1945 during World War II. He achieved the rank of first lieutenant in the Air Corp and was trained in cryptographic security.
A career employee at Riceland Foods, Bill worked for 38 years for the farmer-owned cooperative, retiring in 1984 as group vice president in the rice division. Bill also served as president of the Rice Miller Association in 1969, before it became part of the USA Rice Federation in 1994, and eventually renamed the USA Rice Millers’ Association.
Bill was passionate about many things, including his family, photography, fishing, gardening, and entertaining. He loved to host parties where guests enjoyed music and dancing. Another hobby of Bill’s was golfing – he scored seven holes-in-one in his lifetime!
“Bill was one of my early bosses and mentors at Riceland,” said Carl Brothers, a long-time co-worker and friend. “He had a rich history with our cooperative as his father was the first secretary/treasurer of the Arkansas Rice Growers Association, formed in 1921, which later became known as Riceland Foods, Inc.”
Memorial donations may be made to the Museum of the Arkansas Grand Prairie, 912 E. Fourth Street, Stuttgart, AR 72160; or the ICCM Food Bank, 120 W. Seventh Street, Stuttgart, AR 72160.