Anna Louise McKnight's Obituary
CULPEPER, VIRGINIA: Hours before her 102nd birthday, Anna McKnight passed away on November 17, 2021, in Culpeper, Virginia. Remembered for her unique mix of feistiness and grace - Anna’s secret to her longevity was a healthy dose of stoicism (“nurses don’t cry”) and laughter (she found humor in all the right places) built on her foundation of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Born Anna Louise Ritenour November 18, 1919, on the family farm in Grape Grove, Ohio, to parents Millard Kerns and Edna Blanche (Little) Ritenour, she was twelve years old when her best friend and sister, Susan, was born. Anna shared childhood stories of going to school on a horse drawn carriage, of mischief on the farm, and of her mother’s wonderful cooking and sewing. Anna was terrific at both - and her love of sewing, instilled at an early age, carried her through her life and was a gift to all who benefited from her beautifully sewn clothing, flower girl dresses, and home textiles. She loved to feel fabric and examine stitching and was sewing pillowcases well into her nineties. She made the World’s Greatest Cinnamon Rolls. Her mother was strong and so was Anna. She felt blessed that “nothing hurt” as she aged and she kept her clarity of mind and humor until the end.
She graduated from Ross Township High School in Greene County, Ohio, and attended Cedarville (OH) College. While at Cedarville, she met Charles Richard “Dick” McKnight, whom she would later marry. Anna went on to three years of nurses’ training at Christ Hospital School of Nursing in Cincinnati. While Anna was at Christ Hospital, Dick enlisted with the Marine Corps, and was stationed on Samoa Island near Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. They married on September 8, 1943, and by 1945, Anna and Dick were living on Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. While there, Anna gave birth to twins, Tom and Trudy, at a time when military doctors did not give their pregnant patients advanced notice that they were carrying twins. Her stories of hand-washing cloth diapers for two newborns and hanging the diapers to dry by a wood stove struck fear in the hearts of young mothers in her family. Her third child, Rick, was born in 1948, and the family was complete. Anna was one of the last surviving of The Greatest Generation, and she proved that generation proud.
Anna and Dick raised their family in Cincinnati, Ohio, and as empty-nesters moved to Memphis, Tennessee, and Leesburg, Florida. Their grandchildren have fond memories of visiting them in Florida, riding bikes, playing cards, and visiting the beach and Disney World. “Grandma” ran a tight ship; her nurse’s training made her watchful and quick to correct. But she also was so much fun and happy to get in on any joke. Anna later lived in Mason, Ohio, D.C., Maryland, Lake Anna, Virginia, and finally, Culpeper, Virginia.
Anna was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Dick, who passed away on July 15, 1985. Anna spent the 36 years of her widowhood on adventures with her family and with her sister’s extended family, the Babiks. She was well into her nineties when she boarded a jet ski on Fishhook Lake in Park Rapids, Minnesota, and mugged for the camera. She jumped at the chance to attend her grandson’s wedding in Hawaii, with Susan as her companion. She traveled to Europe and spent every minute she could with cherished family. Weeks before her passing, she was out on a boat in Lake Anna with her devoted son Rick and daughter-in-law Cindy and their family enjoying the sunshine at 101 years old.
Throughout her life, Anna was a dedicated member of The Church of Christ. Her well-worn Bible was a companion through thick and thin.
In her final days Anna rested under a quilt designed by her father and hand sewn by her mother when Anna was just a child. She was surrounded by family around the clock and stayed connected to her Sis through FaceTime. Until the end, she was most grateful for the loving family around her, a family proud to call her their own.
Anna is survived by her three children, eight grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, and one great great-grandchild; Charles Richard McKnight, Jr. (Cindy), Trudith Kaye Bolejack (E. Arlin Bolejack, Jr.), Thomas K. McKnight (Marian Sabety), Chari Lyn Bolejack, Kevin A. Bolejack, Peter D. Bolejack (Jeannie), Jonathan K. McKnight (Deborah Luskin) and Katherine L. McKnight (Christopher Kimball) and their mother, Deborah B. McKnight, Thomas McKnight (Cristi Ireland McKnight), Chad McKnight (Corinn Seely), and Richard McKnight (Sarah). Anna’s great-grandchildren are Christopher, Dathan, Alana, Aralyn, Ilsa, Siegfried, Alice, Charlie, Ashley, Michael, Victoria, ChyAnne, Cara, Abi, C.J., Rylee, Tyler, Cole, and Harley. Her three precious great great-grandchildren are Delila, Edith and William.
Anna also is survived by her best friend and sister Susan Babik and her family who remember fondly their dear Auntie Ann.
A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 21, 2021 at Found and Sons Funeral Chapel, 850 Sperryville Pike, Culpeper, VA. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.
The family would like to invite those unable to attend the service to watch via live stream at https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/authorise.php?k=1637457750149498
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