Memorials › Hattie Hermine Laza Knowlton

Hattie Hermine Laza Knowlton

26 Jun 1926 – 5 Oct 2025

Birth26 Jun 1926
Death5 Oct 2025
Added byJudy Evans on 12 Jan 2026
FaGhttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/291557228

Bio

Hattie Knowlton June 26, 1926 - October 5, 2025 Hattie Hermine Laza Knowlton was born in Ennis, Texas on June 26, 1926 to Joseph J. and Mary (Bobalik) Laza, and died on October 5, 2025 at the age of 99. After attending Pea Ridge School she graduated from Ennis High School in 1943. Hattie immediately left Ennis to begin her Civil Service life as a messenger with the Army at Eight Service Command in Dallas, Texas. Progression through positions found her as typist, stenographer, and secretary when the command moved her to San Antonio, Texas in 1946. Two years later, with "gypsy blood" in her veins, Hattie took off for Japan and worked at the General Headquarters in Tokyo as administrative assistant to a colonel who introduced her to the owner of a sewing machine manufacturing plant in Japan. The owner gave to Hattie the first treadle sewing machine off the Japanese assembly line after the war. The machine remains within the family as do many treasures from her travels. In 1950, Hattie resigned from her job in Japan after she married a fighter pilot, Col. Charles Meyer, about the time that the US Air Force peeled off from the Army; the couple was transferred back to the States the next year, stationed in Moses Lake, Washington. Two years later Hattie joined her husband in Iceland where she worked as an employee of a construction company since no military spouses were allowed without their own employment. In 1954, the couple were sent back to the States to Tyndall AFB, Florida, where Hattie returned to work with Civil Service. However, five years later the couple was transferred to Rein-Mein, Germany where Hattie soon went to work with Civil Service for the Army Procurement Center in Frankfurt. While in Germany, Hattie had many opportunities to fall in love with mountains and snow skiing in the Swiss Alps. 1964 welcomed Hattie back to the States and to Colorado Springs, Colorado as a secretary in Procurement for the Air Force. Early in that same year, Hattie was married to Air Force Col. Robert Knowlton and went back to Germany with him until he completed his tour in September, 1965. The couple was then stationed at Elgin AFB, Florida until Bob retired in 1968 after which the couple returned to Colorado Springs and opened a Military Personnel placement service franchise. When this business ended, Hattie returned to Civil Service where she worked in Plans in 1969, then was moved to the "Big Hole", Cheyenne Mountain. She broke away from the secretarial field there and joined the 4614 Contracting Squadron at Ent AFB as a procurement clerk. Hattie continued to work her way up to become a Copper Cap (an Air Force managed program designed to train college graduates and place civilians within the Air Force work environment as contract specialists) then a Contract Negotiator in 1977; soon she was promoted to Contracting Officer Warrant. This work in Cheyenne Mountain led to Hattie being appointed as a contract negotiation specialist with top secret clearance for the Procurement Office in the Cheyenne Mountain Complex Commanded by United States Air Force Peterson Air Force Base (now United States Space Force (USSF). She was a member of the team that launched one of the first communications satellites for Internet access into orbit. She was instrumental in negotiating the terms of purchase with IBM as well as terms for satellite relocation to the launch site in Germany. In order to accomplish all this in contracting and negotiations, she completed night studies and received a Bachelor Degree in Technical Management in 1979. In addition to skiing, she travelled, played golf and bridge, and was very active with Officers' Wives Club wherever she was stationed. Retirement from the Air Force brought Hattie back to Texas where she settled in Carrollton and Irving. She furthered her education in a Dallas area community college and became an active thespian who enjoyed acting roles in school theater productions. For the remainder of her life, Hattie continued her love of being with people whether through playing canasta, Tripoli, or bridge or simply visiting with friends and family. Wherever she went, she always shared her bright and beautiful smile with all she met. She loved a good political discussion and debate and did not mind sharing her views with prominent national politicians. She was a true patriot and friend. Her memory, wit, and independence remained strong to the end through her love of jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, and Sudoku (to keep her brain active). When she passed from this life, Hattie had the distinction of having productively and independently lived longer than any of her known ancestors, surpassing her grandfather who died at age 93 by 6 years. Memories of her stories and her deep love of God, family, and friends (and Colorado) will live on for generations. Hattie was preceded in death by both husbands, Charles Meyer and Bob Knowlton, her parents, Joe and Mary Laza, as well as her siblings and four nephews: sisters Mildred Laza York, Evelyn Laza Kosich, and brothers Joseph J. Laza, Jr. (Irene) and Edward C. Laza (Clara); nephews Clyde Carr, Gary Carr, Donald York, and Shawn Laza. She is survived by two nephews and five nieces: Kenneth Carr (Karen) of Duncanville and Randall Laza (Deborah) of Dallas, Edith Carr Eastep of Duncanville, Deborah Laza Morgan (Glen) of Fort Worth, Suzanne Laza Ramirez (Eric), April Laza and Amber Laza Gottlieb (Mark) of Plano. Hattie donated her body to science at Texas Southwestern Medical; she will be cremated with her cremains then taken to her beloved mountains of Colorado. A private family memorial will be held at a later date to honor our beloved Aunt Hattie. Arrangements with J. E. Keever Mortuary, Inc., Ennis, Texas

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