My first memory of Steven Knickrehm was of him teasing HDR’s first executive director, Eddie Bumbaugh, for how he pronounced “wheelbarrow” while we were volunteering for Blacks Run Clean Up day about 10 years ago. Steve and I both picked up on Eddie’s creative pronunciation, which sounds more like “wheel burrough-a.”
Steve Knickrehm passed away on Sunday, January 25, 2026, after a battle with dementia. His leadership led to the founding of Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance (HDR) in 2003, and he served as our first board president. As a downtown resident and as the current executive director of HDR, I feel grateful and indebted to him and his hard work.
It didn’t take anyone much time to realize that Steve had a great sense of humor and personality. Our lighthearted teasing of Eddie was in good fun, but it also didn’t take long for people to know when he was being serious. Both Eddie and current HDR board member and founder Andy Perrine agree that when Steve had something to say, everyone listened and quickly got on the same page…