Hans Harald Knoop

Hans Harald Knoop, 81, passed away on October 2, 2025, in Greeley, Colorado after a period of declining health. Hans led a varied, challenging, and interesting life, beginning with his birth inthe formerly German region of Silesia in 1944. He began his schooling in East Germany and escaped with his family to Frankfurt, West Germany in 1950. After six challenging years of navigating the ruins of a war-torn city, the family immigrated to the farming community of Randolph, Minnesota under the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Program. After relocating to St. Paul for high school, he attended Concordia College in Morehead, Minnesota and the University of Minnesota, where he received a bachelor’s degree in journalism and international relations. During his final year at the U of M, he was the Editor-in-Chief of the Minnesota Daily, which served over 40,000 students. 

His professional life encompassed editing, writing, and reporting for the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the Red Wing (Minnesota) Republican Eagle and the Rock Hill (South Carolina) Evening Herald, where he was editorial page editor. After receiving a master’s degree in journalism from the University of South Carolina, he managed publications for the South Carolina Education Association and spent 13 years as publications editor and Associate Vice President at the University of South Carolina. After moving to Greeley, Colorado in 1994, he opened the Prairie Reader bookstore on 16th Street, which flourished as one of Greeley’s only independent booksellers for 9 years. Throughout his retirement, he and his wife, Kathleen, enjoyed travel to destinations throughout the US, Mexico, Caribbean, and Europe.

Hans overcame the adversity of his youth to share with his family and community his passion for writing and language, love of animals, and enthusiasm for sports, especially soccer. A memorial service is planned for a later date. Contributions in his name may be made to the NOCO Humane Shelter Services, Weld Campus and/or the International Rescue Committee. Hans is survived by his wife, Kathleen Milligan, of Greeley, Colorado; sons Stuart Knoop (Maud Abeel) of Brooklyn, New York and David Weliky of Chicago, Illinois; grandsons Otis and Jasper Knoop of Brooklyn, New York; brothers Tom Knoop (Afi Knoop) of Afton, Minnesota and Wilfried Knoop (Terry Knoop) of Columbia City, Oregon; and his cat, Midnight.