Adora Belle Blog - A Very Special Tribute

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Posted by: Adora Belle	5/3/2007 10:03 AM
Hi everyone. It’s Marie here. I’m giving Adora Belle a vacation this time as I have a special tribute that I’d like to share with you. Hi everyone. It’s Marie here. I’m giving Adora Belle a vacation this time as I have a special tribute that I’d like to share with you. Last week, Lou Knickerbocker passed away unexpectedly of a heart attack. As many of you are aware, Lou is responsible for the creation of Marie Osmond Dolls. Back in 1990, upon reading in an article that I loved and collected dolls, Lou approached me with the idea of creating my own line of dolls to sell on QVC . . . and the rest, as they say, is history. Lou and I go way back and have many interesting experiences together that I have reflected upon this past week as I join with his family and friends in mourning his passing and celebrating his life. All of us who love dolls owe a debt of gratitude to Lou, and even though he has not been involved with the company for many years now, I would feel ungrateful if I didn’t take this solemn opportunity to express my love and appreciation in honor of his memory for the integral role he played in allowing me to live out a dream, and to share that dream with all of you. In closing, I share the sentiment we wrote to Lou’s family that accompanied the flowers we sent. Let me first explain that the flowers were a beautiful wreath, surrounding the Wizard of Oz “Baby Wizard” doll that was created in the Knickerbocker “era” of our dolls. The note read: We pay tribute to a visionary entrepreneur who created a way for us to make a living, playing dolls. Lou was larger than life in so many ways, and just like the Wizard of Oz, had the courage to dream big. We honor him today for his creativity, his panache, his vigor and especially for his friendship. We will miss the man behind the curtain! *Louis L. Knickerbocker* *April 11, 1940 – April 24, 2007*

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Re: A Very Special Tribute	By la~belle on 5/3/2007 10:35 AM
I would also like to express my heartfelt sympathy to the Knickerbocker family and friends. We collectors know what a wonderful man Lou was and are forever grateful for what he did in taking Marie's dream and making it a reality. Yes, he certainly was the Wizard of Dolls!!! Bless you Lou, you will be missed. Your memory will live on in my heart forever.

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By Bonnie Romig on 5/3/2007 7:07 PM
My heartfelt sympathies are sent to the family and friends of Lou. Thanks for all you have done.

Re: A Very Special Tribute

By Margaret Maistrou on 6/20/2007 1:00 PM

Thank you Marie for giving us the chance to comment about Lou Knickerbocker. I started working at Knickerbocker Co. 1992, few months after my arrival to the United States. Kinckerbocker Co. was always a fun, warm, family like place. One day Lou came out to our work place and told us with a big smile "today you are going to be my first audience, feel free to critisize if I am not good". It was the speach he prepared to address the committee when Knickerbocker Co. became public. He broke all barriers between management and employees when he came out of his office and called all department managers to join the assembly line because we needed to meet our dead-line. He used to say "My door is always open, if you need to speak with me". God rest your soul Lou Knickerbocker, at your company it feels I never left home.

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By Chris in VA on 8/20/2007 4:38 AM
Thank you for letting us know Marie. Where would any of us Marie Doll Collectors be without his vision to ask you to do dolls? He has silently touched all of our lives, and since he was "behind the curtain" we never got to see him...just like the Wizard. God Bless Lou and his family, Chris in VA

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By JOANN fom Michigan on 8/21/2007 on 8/21/2007 7:48 PM
Thank you for sharing this with me Marie, love your dolls, so I thank God for you and Lou. God Bless Lou family, may he rest in peace.

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By Barbara Wright on 9/4/2007 4:35 PM
I'm sorry to hear about Lou. I'm so gald he did ask Marie to do the Doll Line. Marie's Doll are the ONLY one's I collect. My thoughts and prayers are with his family even today and with all of those First without him. Barbara

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By Vicky Lynn Pirtle Corbello on 11/27/2007 8:40 AM
In loving remembrance, your doll creations supplied love. God's Blessings and Peace to Your Family.

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By red redding on 2/26/2008 8:54 AM
Lou was a pervert who had a taste for 20 year old girls. What a bunch of freaks you are. The dolls are not real. Here is a dollar go buy a life.

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By Sharri Wojcik on 5/4/2007 2:12 AM
Such sad news...thank you for sharing your loving tribute to such an influential person in all of our lives. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By Michaelle from New Orleans on 5/4/2007 4:12 AM
Thank you for sharing the news, Marie. I would like to expess my thoughts and prayers to the Knickerbocker family and all who will greatly miss him.

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By Barbara from Ct on 5/4/2007 4:51 AM
Thank you Marie for sharing this tribute with us Mr Knickerbocker was a special man who allowed your dreams to become ours! I would like to express my thoughts and prayers to the Knickerbocker family and all who will greatly miss him.

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By Donna on 5/4/2007 5:26 AM
A very special place in Heaven for a special person. Sympathy and many thanks to the Family!

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By MarthaS on 5/4/2007 5:36 AM
Dear Marie, I am very sorry to learn of the passing of your longtime friend. Thank you for sharing your beautiful tribute to Mr. Knickerbocker. My sympathy to all his family and friends.

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By Jill R in Kentucky on 5/4/2007 5:42 AM
Such sad news. Thanks for sharing Marie. Thoughts are with the family and all who mourn the man that had such vision. I am forever grateful for his support of you Marie because you and your dolls have become such a wonderful part of my life.

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By me too on 5/4/2007 6:47 AM
I'm sorry about the news of Mr. Knickerbocker. My prayers are with his family and you.

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By cindy on 5/4/2007 8:52 AM
Thanks Marie for letting us know.My thoughts go out to his family and we are very lucky he started the company which brought happiness to so many .

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By Rhonda T on 5/4/2007 1:14 PM
Thank you for sharing this with us. Please let the family know we are thinking about them. What a blessing it was for him to ask you and what a blessing the dolls have been to us over the years. Prayers being said for everyone.

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By Sue Novak on 5/4/2007 3:08 PM
My deepest sympathies and prayers to Mr. Knickerbocker's family. I am so grateful for all his work and vision for his company and bringing Marie and her love of dolls into my life. What a gem he truly was.

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By Mindy Slimmer on 5/4/2007 7:32 PM
I know that the dolls that I own bring me a smile everyday and in a way that is the best way to pay tribute to a man that brought me smiles. Thanks Lou and continue to send down the doll blessing from above.

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By Marilyn on 5/4/2007 8:01 PM
What a beautiful tribute to Mr. Knickerbocker Marie, God bless his family thru this difficult time, and A Big Thank You to Lou (up above) if it weren't for him we may not have enjoyed you and your dolls all these years.

Re: A Very Special Tribute

By Cheryl T on 5/5/2007 6:04 AM

I am honored to have met Mr. Knickerbocker at the first MDF reunion, and am saddened to hear of his death. My prayers for his family and close friends who are dealing with this great loss. Surely he was a man who made the world a happier place- just think of all the joy jMarie's dolls have brought to us. I know his company also created many other toys and treasures that have brought happiness to children of all ages. May his reward in heaven be as great.

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By BrendaKay on 5/5/2007 12:30 PM
My prayers and deepest sympathies go out to Mr. Knickerbocker's family. Thank you for the joy that Marie's dolls have brought into our lives. You have truly left behind a legacy for all of us to pass down to generations to come and I thank you for that!

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By LindaQ on 5/6/2007 9:21 PM
Sorry to hear about the loss of Mr. Knickerbocker. Prayers for his family, friends and colleagues at this time.

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By PamelaD(Trixie) on 5/8/2007 10:14 PM
My thoughts and prayers go out to Mr Knickerbocker's family and friends. He may be gone but he will never be forgotten.

Re: A Very Special Tribute

By Peggy Vicioso on 5/10/2007 12:12 PM

I worked for Lou for more than 8 years; they were the best and most difficult years of my career. His entrepreneurial spirit was truly something to be admired and reckoned with. During those years learned so much from the successes….and failures. I recall one morning when I arrived to work to learn Lou had ordered a semi-truck load of food for less fortunate kids living here in the USA. He was quiet about this, and did not want any recognition. He was generous to a fault, he loved to give, and he also could forget and forgive like no one I have ever met. He was an ultimate salesman; he could sell Ice in Alaska. He leaves behind some great kids who carry his spirit.

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By Stephanie Krebs on 5/10/2007 3:39 PM
May God be with Mr. Knickerbocker's family and help them through this very difficult time in all of their lives. They have their own personal angel that will watch over and be with them always. He was a very special man.

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By Sue Thonn on 5/15/2007 7:26 PM
I did not personally know Lou, but he shared the same name as my older Brother who passed away last Sept. So, in turn, He must have held some special traits. I am thankful to him for getting Marie to start her legendary doll line. I wish his family peace and tranquility during thier time of mourning. May you rest in peace, Lou.

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By Bernay in VEGAS on 5/20/2007 6:40 PM
what a wonderful story ..I am sure glad he got you creating your dolls.. its always sad to loose a friend.. Prayer to his family

Re: A Very Special Tribute

By Lisa Hatch on 5/21/2007 8:10 AM

I, too, would like to add a memory or two of Lou - who really was the consumate salesman and entrepeneur. (Although, I believe he met his match the day he met Marie!) One night, Marie, Lou and I had flown into Fayetteville, AR for a meeting with Wal-Mart the next morning. While driving on the interestate that night, the back door of our mini-van flung open, spilling our only doll samples for the meeting onto the highway. Marie and I started screaming to Lou, "Stop the car!!!" - who was torn between obeying our commands and the consequences of what we might do once he stopped the car. He hesitantly stopped the car (because we had opened the side door and threatened to jump!), and Marie and I ran into the interstate, collecting up the dolls. The entire time, Lou was yelling, "If you guys get yourselves killed - so help me - I'll kill you myself! I won't be responsible for having Marie Osmond smashed on a road by an oncoming semi! They're just dolls, for @#@#$@#@$ sakes!!!!!" Poor Lou . . . he had no idea just what he was getting himself into the day he called Marie in 1990 to see if she wanted to sell dolls!!! I love you, Lou. God bless. Lisa

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By lanell on 5/23/2007 3:08 PM
I would like to express my sympathy to Lou's family-prayers go out to them and, Marie--prayers to you and I ask Him to help you through your sorrow -that you will have peace!

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By marika podonyi on 5/31/2007 10:45 PM
..deepest condolence to family,,my 1st raggedy-anne doll has still the Knickerbocker name on her,I never had the pleasure of thanking your family for her,and to know now,that I can thankyou and wish you all the best...so sorry for your loss,I recently lost my Father also,so I to share this with you all.....a friend from Canada

Re: A Very Special Tribute	By Rebecca on 6/1/2007 3:55 PM
My deepest sympathies to the family during this difficult time, and what a beautiful sentiment.

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