Marjorie Downey Knowlton

Peggy was born and raised in Manhattan, New York City, the daughter of Fairfax Davis Downey and Mildred Adams Downey. She graduated from The Brearley School in 1942. Not long thereafter she met West Point cadet William A. Knowlton, and married him in 1943 after his graduation. After 6 months of marriage Lieutenant Knowlton was deployed to World War II in Europe for 2 years. Peggy joined him in Germany after the war and commenced the life of an Army wife, raising four children while moving to various parts of the US – as well as to France, Tunisia, Germany, Turkey and Belgium – as her husband rose through the ranks to retire in 1980 as a 4-star General. She was known as a gracious hostess, a beautiful singer who often sang duets with her husband, a dedicated Red Cross volunteer of many decades, a talented tennis player and, in later years, a skilled Wii bowler who surprised her family by winning medals in the Senior Olympics.

Mrs. Knowlton was predeceased by her beloved husband Bill in August 2008 and by her much-loved second son, Davis D. Knowlton, in November 2022. She is survived and will be sorely missed by: her oldest son Lieutenant Colonel (US Army, Retired) William A. Knowlton, Jr. and his wife Sondra, of Colorado Springs, Colorado; her middle son Davis Knowlton’s widow Imelda, of the Philippines; her youngest son Timothy R. Knowlton and his wife Janet, of Mill Valley, California; her daughter, Hollister K. Petraeus and her husband General (US Army, Retired) David H. Petraeus of Arlington, Virginia; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

A private burial service will be held at Arlington National Cemetery at a date to be determined.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be to the USO or to the National Military Family Association, links below.