To many, Harry Knapp was known as “Mr. Silverdale.”

The longtime Port of Silverdale commissioner died early Monday morning at Harrison Medical Center while recovering from a heart attack he had a month ago. He was 77.

“He just didn’t pull out of it,” said Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue Assistant Chief Roy Lusk, a longtime friend of Knapp’s.

Lusk first met Knapp 40 years ago. Knapp, who was in the construction business, fell off scaffolding and hurt his leg badly. Lusk and a fellow firefighter arrived and took him to the hospital.

“He was one of my first medical calls,” Lusk said.

Knapp was first elected to the port in 1975. He served as the commission’s president for many years and helped turn the Port of Silverdale into what it is today, according to many.

Knapp led the charge to remove unnecessary pilings, improve a new boat launch and oversaw construction on a public dock and transient moorage facility at the Port of Silverdale.

Lusk worked with Knapp on the port’s improvements and gave input from a fire official’s perspective on the restoration of Jackson Hall, better know as the Boy Scout Hall, in Old Town Silverdale, which Knapp also spearheaded.

“We were very close, you bet,” Lusk said. “He was a great guy. He’ll be missed, truly missed.”

Lusk said if Silverdale had incorporated in Knapp’s lifetime, the lifelong Silverdale resident would have been a “pretty good city manager or mayor.”

“His heart was always in the right place for Silverdale,” he said. “Harry did nothing that was not good for Silverdale.”

Knapp was one of the community volunteers who helped launch the original Whaling Days festivities more than 35 years ago. In those first years, Knapp helped build large whale floats for the parades and continued to watch the Silverdale Dandy Lions Grand Parade with his family for many years. Knapp even served as grand marshal of the parade a few years ago.

Port attorney Phil Best said he has photos of Knapp riding in the parade as grand marshal with his grandchildren sitting beside him in the truck waving to parade-goers.

“That was how he wanted to be grand marshal of the parade,” he said.

Best said he, Knapp and Port commissioner Lawrence Greaves all grew up in Silverdale and would talk about old times after Port of Silverdale meetings.

“(Knapp) knew all the stories,” Best said.

Tim Knapp remembers his father fondly; a man who had a great impact on the Silverdale community.

“My dad considered all the people in his life family, it didn’t matter if you were the homeless man in Old Town or a local businesswoman,” Tim Knapp said. “He was really interested in the well-being of Silverdale.”

Whaling Days secretary Carla Larson knew Knapp her entire life. Her mother babysat him when he was younger and Larson graduated from Central Kitsap High School with one of Knapp’s daughters, who died several years ago.

Larson said Knapp was “Silverdale through and through” and enjoyed doing his best to improve the town.

“He really cared about the community and the people here,” she said. “He was the big push to get the port going and help improve the port/park area.”

Larson said Knapp was an avid gardener and loved to show off his green thumb.

“He had a fantastic garden that he loved to take you through when he was able,” she said. “His produce grew bigger than most and his family enjoyed them as well.”

Knapp was born and raised in Silverdale. He graduated from CKHS in 1949 and attended Olympic Community College.

He is survived by two sons, a daughter and many grandchildren.

A memorial service is planned for 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5 at Silverdale Lutheran Church, 11701 Ridgepoint Drive N.W., Silverdale.