CUSHING — Chester L. Knowles Jr., 91, of Cushing, passed away Sept. 9, 2015. Born in New Rochelle, N.Y., on May 30, 1924, he was the son of Dr. Chester L. Knowles and Marjorie Webster Knowles, who died in 1933, and stepson of Mildred P. Spurr Knowles.

Chester graduated from the School of Chemical Engineering, Cornell University, in the summer of 1942. He entered the Navy V-12 program there, received a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering, passed through Midshipman's School at Columbia University and served as a combat information officer and fighter director on the aircraft carrier Midway.

Chester took his first job with the plastics division of Monsanto Chemical Co. in Springfield, Mass. Within a year he met and married Barbara Roberts of Springfield in August 1948. He briefly worked for Knowles Assoc., returned to Monsanto and retired from Olin Corporation.

After retirement Chester and Barbara moved from Norwalk, Conn., to Cushing in July 1986. Chester spent 10 years with the Cushing Rescue Squad and he established a website and an email directory for the town. He served two years as president of the Cushing Historical Society, and held a number of committee posts for both the town and the Historical Society. Chester was an avid sailor. He also enjoyed woodworking, repairing and caring for the house and the gardens. In later years, he found satisfaction in cooking, especially seafood dinners.

He was predeceased by his wife of 62 years, Barbara; his daughter, Susan Halihan of Concord, Calif.; his grandson, William Bryan Knowles (son of Bryan and Karen Knowles) of Montgomery City, Mo.; his grandson, John Jakob Soyland (son of John and Leslie Soyland) of Norwalk, Conn.; and his sister, Mary Price of Chicora, Pa. He is survived by three children, Bryan and his wife, Karen, and their children, Sarah and John, of Montgomery City, Mo., Amy Knowles of Warren, and Leslie Soyland, her husband, John, and their children, Andrew and Erik, of Norwalk, Conn. Also surviving Chester are his grandson, Scott Halihan of Concord, Calif., (Susan's son); his great grandson, Ayden Soyland (John Jakob Soyland's son); and his stepsister, Catherine P. Spurr of Sarasota, Fla.

A celebration of life open house will be held at the Cushing Historical Society on Saturday, Sept. 26 from 1 to 4 p.m.

At a future date, interment will be in the family plot at the Pleasant View Cemetery in Cushing.