OBITUARY: Leota Roberta McKnight
Published 6:28 am Wednesday, August 12, 2009
- McKnight
PENDLETON – Leota Roberta McKnight, 89, of Pendleton, died Friday, Aug. 7, 2009 at St. Anthony Hospital in Pendleton.
A funeral was held at 11 a.m. today, Aug. 12, at Grace Baptist Church, 2809 SW Goodwin Ave., Pendleton. Interment will be at Auburn Public Cemetery in Auburn, Calif.
Ms. McKnight was born on June 12, 1920 in Vibbard, Mo., to Robert and Lota Gabbert. She graduated from Excelsior Springs High School in Excelsior Springs, Mo., in 1937. She attended Central Missouri State Teachers College at Warrensburg, Mo. She taught in Missouri rural schools for eight years after college.
She married Leo Ralph McKnight on Aug. 3, 1942.
After Leo’s returned from World War II, the couple moved to Colorado where she worked for the Production Credit Association. In 1962 she began a career with the U.S. Forest Service on the Rio Grande National Forest at Monte Vista, Colo., later transferring to the regional office in San Francisco, Calif.
After her divorce in 1971, she transferred to the Forest Service national office in Washington D.C. In 1974 she was appointed professional officer on the Umatilla National Forest in Pendleton. She retired from the position on Jan. 4, 1984 and remained in Pendleton until her death.
She was a longtime member of the Grace Baptist Church where she served as a Sunday school teacher, deaconess and church treasurer for 19 years. She was a past president of Altrusa International of Pendleton; a member of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees.
Survivors include three sons: Glen McKnight of Durango, Colo., Gary McKnight of Farmington, N.M., and Mark McKnight of Pendleton, as well as seven grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and two step-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a brother and a sister.
Memorial contributions may be made to Grace Baptist Church, 2809 SW Goodwin Ave., Pendleton, or to Mike Silva Evangelism, and may be sent in care of Burns Mortuary of Pendleton, P.O. Box 489, Pendleton, OR 97801.
Burns Mortuary of Pendleton is in charge of arrangements.
