Joel C. Knepper, 51

Joel Knepper passed away unexpectedly at home on Oct. 31, 2022, due to natural causes. He was born in Alexandria, Virginia on June 18, 1971, the son of Kathy and James “Gary” Knepper. When Joel was three years old, the family moved to Minnesota where he attended St. Thomas Academy and Richfield High School.

Joel worked as a data analyst for Optum, Inc. In 2005, he met Jennifer Lansman.

They shared a wonderful life together full of love, laughter, and music. In 2019, they moved to Iowa to be closer to family.

Joel was a computer genius and was everybody’s fix-it computer guy. His greatest passion in life was music. Whether he was playing an instrument, attending a concert, or sharing his favorites songs with others, to know Joel was to know his love for music (and borderline obsession with Eminem)! In December 2021, he fulfilled a lifelong dream to see Phil Collins and Genesis in concert at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.

Joel’s life goal was to bring joy to others through music or storytelling. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Joel is survived by the love of his life, Jennifer Lansman; stepson, Brent (Tara) Lansman; grandchildren, Jace, Brinley, and Maxwell; mother, Kathy (John) Lowery; his aunt, Ruth (Mike) Woitas; father-in-law, Dennis Twogood; sisters-in-law, Denise (Dennis) Songer and Suzanne (Jeff) Moore; brother-in-law, Derek (Jeorjette) Twogood; his beloved German Shepherd, Apollo; nine cousins, many nieces and nephews, other loving family and many special friends.

He was preceded in death by his father, Gary Knepper; mother-in-law, Carolyn Twogood; maternal grandparents, Marvin and Dorothea Brownlee; maternal stepgrandfather, Robert Hadlick; paternal grandparents, Joseph and Kay Knepper; nephew, Elijah Moore; along with his German Shepherd and best friend, Zeus.

A celebration of Joel’s life was held on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, at Hamilton’s near Highland Memory Gardens, in Des Moines, Iowa. He was laid to rest at Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Jennifer Lansman, 611 E. Kentucky Ave., Indianola, IA 50125-4001, in memory of Joel.

Condolences may be expressed online at: www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.