Saratoga Springs - Victoria (Vickie) Josephine Knittel, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, mother-in-law, aunt, daughter, and sister, passed away on July 25, 2018.

Vickie was born in Manhattan, NY, on July 12, 1921 to the late Walter and Josephine Kusmerski. The youngest of Walter and Josephine's three children, Vickie was raised in Astoria, Queens, NY. She was a very talented artist who attended the National Academy of Design in NYC for 2 years.

She married the light and love of her life, Henry (Hank) Knittel in January of 1942, three weeks after Pearl Harbor. They had been dating for several years before their engagement, and they decided to get married before he was drafted and shipped off to war. Their engagement was just long enough to allow for the reading of three bans of marriage at their Catholic church. They were surrounded by family when they celebrated their 75 ^th wedding anniversary on January 5 ^th of 2017. Theirs was a long and happy marriage that was filled with family, friends, dancing, card games, golf, reading, travel, and lots of love and laughter.

Their first son, Henry (Bud) Knittel, Jr., was born while Hank was fighting in the European theatre of the war. As family lore has it, Vickie asked Hank (via letter while he was at war) what they should name their child if he were a boy. He indicated that his only preference was that he NOT be named Henry. When, of course, she named him Henry, Jr., her rationale to him was that this was the only name that he had mentioned.

Hank met two-year old Bud for the very first time when he was home on furlough in April of 1945. The war ended while he was on furlough, and they built a happy life together in Astoria and in Franklin Square, NY. Their daughter, Jacqueline (Jackie), was born in 1946. Jackie was named for Hank's best friend, Jack Regan, who was killed in one of the last air missions of the war. Their second son, Richard, was born in 1953.

Vickie and Hank moved to Connecticut in 1971 to be closer to children and grandchildren. They loved their years in Connecticut and the opportunity to be integral parts of their children's and grandchildren's lives. They hosted happy and boisterous dinners and card games at their home almost every Sunday evening, and Vickie made just about all of her grandchildren's Halloween costumes, Easter dresses, and prom dresses. Vickie loved to read, garden, and paint, and her numerous beautiful paintings adorn the homes of her children and grandchildren. Vickie and Hank retired to Sun City Center, Florida, in 1986 where they enjoyed a long and happy retirement.

Hank pre-deceased Vickie in March in 2017. Vickie and Hank are survived by their three children, Bud Knittel (Kathy) of Pawley's Island, SC, Jackie Okosky (Chuck) of Saratoga Springs, NY, Richard Knittel of Sun City Center, FL, eight grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.

A mass of Christian burial and celebration of Vickie's life will be held at 10:00am on Monday, July 30, 2018 at St. Clement's Church, 231 Lake Ave., Saratoga Springs. Following the mass, Vickie's ashes will be interred next to Hank's at the Gerald BH Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery, 200 Duell Road, Schuylerville.

Online remembrances may be made at burkefuneralhome.com.