His formal name was Claude P. Knowles Jr., but most who knew him called him “Bud” Knowles.
Maybe you did not really have personal contact with him as a county official, but he was an important one for us all. That’s because he was the administrator of the Hamilton County Election Commission, which runs all of our local elections.
Bud Knowles died April 2 at the age of 74, after fighting a difficult battle with cancer.
Several members of the Knowles family long have been known in local public life. Bud was predeceased by his father, Claude Knowles, who had been a Chattanooga detective, and brother George, who had been Chattanooga assistant fire chief. Other local Knowles brothers in public life are retired Chattanooga Fire Chief Joe Knowles and County Clerk Bill Knowles.
Bud was a member of Oakwood Baptist Church.
He had been a very important and dependable part of our election process for many years. He served honorably and well.