Eleanor R. McKnight, 97, died Tuesday, May 30, 2017, at Lewiston.
She was born Jan. 4, 1920, in Grand Forks, N.D., to G.E. Rolf and Ellen Flynn Rolf. Several years later, the family moved to Duluth, Minn., where she attended schools and graduated from Central High School in 1938. She then attended the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth and studied to become a medical record librarian and received her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1942.
Eleanor worked in hospitals in New Haven, Conn., Nashville, Tenn., and Alameda, Calif. Then she worked in Washington, D.C., for the U.S. Public Health Service as a public health analyst.
In July of 1945, while working in California, she met her future husband in San Francisco while he was serving in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific Theater. She married Milan "Mac" McKnight on Feb. 7, 1948, in Valentine, Neb. In June of that year they moved to Fresno, Calif., where her husband taught high school for five years. Next they moved to San Jose, Calif., where her husband was a teacher for 29 years and she was a homemaker. In 1982, they retired and moved to Lewiston.
She and her husband were members of several organizations in the valley. They also traveled to many western states and enjoyed fishing local streams and reservoirs.
Survivors include a daughter, Susan Towne of Lewiston; a son, Bob McKnight, and wife Kathy of Orofino; grandsons Tom McKnight of Moscow and Dan McKnight and his wife Tonya of Niceville, Fla.; great-grandchildren Storm, Skylar, Alisha, Xavier, Tyler, Tia and Addison; and sister-in-law Jessie Rolf of Tulsa, Okla. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Mac; brother Bill Rolf and wife Virginia; brother Bob Rolf; and an infant great-granddaughter.
A funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday at the chapel of Vassar-Rawls Funeral Home in Lewiston. Memorials can be made to Holy Family School in Clarkston or the Salvation Army in Lewiston.
Service Information
- Date & Time
- Sunday, June 4, 11:00 AM
- Location
-
Vassar-Rawls Funeral Home
920-21st Avenue
Lewiston, Idaho 83501
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Condolences
The Memphis Rolfs
Bob and Sue,
We are sorry to hear about your Mom. It is good that Tom and Dan and their families have come home to give you comfort and support. We're sorry that we could not come, but, you are in our thoughts and prayers.
With love,
Jim, Nancy, and Linda
Saturday, June 3, 2017 7:22 PM
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