Biography: Athalia May Knoop Kullander passed away Friday, March 23, 2007 after a long, courageous battle with cancer. She is survived by the love of her life, Karl Robert Kullander; son, Kevin and his daughters, Kristin and Brenda; son, Mikel and his wife, Kim, their daughters, Kara, Mary Katherine, and son, Kyle Mikel; daughter, Kathy Kane and her husband, Mark, his sons, Chris and Addison; daughter, Rebekah Conn and her husband, Delbert, his son, Damon, two granddaughters, Madison and Zoe and two step-sons, Robert and Donavan. Also a sister-in-law, Doris Hartman and her husband, Bruce; nephews, Wayne (Sue) and their son, Grant; Vince (Marita) and son, Joey; and niece, Karen Hartman. Athalia (Thalie) was born October 24, 1935, in Lake Village, Arkansas. At the age of four, she was adopted by Faith and Werner Knoop and brought to Little Rock to a new art modern house on Ozark Point where she had an absolutely charmed life. Her mother was a writer of children's books. Her father was a civil engineer and a civic leader. He was president of the Little Rock School Board and the Chamber of Commerce. When the city changed to a city manager government, he was elected to the City Board of Directors and they elected him mayor for six years. Thalie was educated at Mary Dodge Hodges Kindergarten, Pulaski Heights Grade School and Junior High, and Little Rock High School. For college, she chose her father's alma mater, Iowa State, in Ames, Iowa. During her sophomore year, she met her husband to be, Karl from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. After graduation from college, they were married December 29, 1957. Karl received a commission in the U. S. Navy and they moved to Coronado, California. While there, they met two couples, Jack and Donna Couture and Kay and Myron Skubinna, who became their lifetime friends. February 28, 1959, their first son, Kevin Dean, was born. When he was six weeks old, Karl left for a west Pacific tour of duty and Thalie and son returned to Little Rock to stay with her parents. One night during the Central High integration crisis, bombs were heard going off in the night – one of the bombings targeted Mayor Knoop's office. The police insisted the young family leave for their safety. The next day they journeyed to Hannibal, Missouri, to meet the Kullander family who took them to Cedar Rapids where they lived until Karl came home. Thalie rejoined Karl in California where second son, Mikel Caldwell, soon came along. Two weeks after their return to Little Rock in 1962, Katherine Doris was born (now there are three children under 3) Three years later Rebekah Faith rounded out the Kullander family. With four children, Athalia was active in the schools, sports, Girls Scouts and Cub Scouts. She also was active in the Arkansas Childrens Hospital, Arkansas Arts Center, Arkansas Fine Arts Club, YWCA, Scattered Seeds Garden Club, Second Friday Book Club, and Advisory Board of the Visiting Nurse Association. Athalia was baptized in 1939 into the Second Presbyterian Church. In her long service there, she taught Sunday School, served as a deacon and elder and was active for six years in the Stephen Ministry Program. She loved playing bridge with her group at the Country Club of Little Rock where she was a member. She cherished her Third Friday Lunch Bunch that included twelve of her high school friends. Thalie and Karl traveled extensively and enjoyed many travel experiences with Betty and Middleton Ray and trips to Florida with Iowa friends Jack and Ruth Ilten. At the age of 60, her sister-in-law Doris Hartman taught her the art of pressed flowers. Thalie loved growing and pressing the flowers as well as designing cards, bookmarks, and creating works of art around poetry, wise sayings, and wedding and birth announcements for her friends. Athalia was most appropriately named as this is the name of the Greek Muse of Comedy. Thalie was voted the Wittiest Girl of her class. If you have ever heard her tell a joke or recount a story or happening, you would recognize her gift for entertaining us all. Two years ago, a sorority sister Becky Ault called to say that her daughter Melissa, planned to name her newborn daughter Athalia for she remembered how much fun and how happy she was. The family wishes to thank Thalie’s many friends, Dr. Bill Tranum, Dr. Stacy McCord, CARTI, and Hospice Home Care Inpatient Center for their love and care. Visitation will be 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Monday, March 26, 2007 at Ruebel Funeral Home. Graveside services are scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday at Roselawn Memorial Park, followed by memorial services at 11:00 a.m. at Second Presbyterian Church. Pallbearers are Middleton Ray, Ted Hannah, Don Henderson, Dr. Louis Sanders, Victor Menefee, and Rob Owens. Memorials, in lieu of flowers, should be made to the Second Presbyterian Church Building Maintenance Fund, 600 Pleasant Valley Dr., Little Rock, 72227, or a favorite charity. Arrangements are by Ruebel Funeral Home of Little Rock, www.ruebelfuneralhome.com.
I am so sorry to hear of your mother's passing. I read her fascinating obituary in the paper - she was a very vibrant lady! You are all in my thoughts and prayers as you press on through life without her. Through all the condolences on this website, I can see that you have a very large support group of friends and family - who loved Thallie dearly. Just know that an old friend from NLU - Town & Country Apts is thinking of you. Love, Ellen