Ella Mae (Baldridge) McKnight, age 103, gained her wings bright and early on Sunday morning, January 10, 2016.
Funeral services were held at 1:00 PM on Wednesday, January 13, 2016 at the Church of God in Clayton, New Mexico with Rev. Mark Honeycutt, pastor, and Rev. Billy Rammage officiating. Burial followed in the Clayton Memorial Cemetery by Hass Funeral Directors of Clayton, New Mexico.
Ella Mae McKnight was born on August 30, 1912 in Killeen, Texas to Thomas Jefferson Baldridge and Ethel Beatrice (Denton) Baldridge. She was the oldest of 9 children, who have all preceded her in death. Her family moved to the Clayton, New Mexico area in 1927 to farm. She married John Albert McKnight on January 7, 1934 in the Methodist parsonage in Boise City, Oklahoma and he preceded her in death on January 1, 1994. Albert and Mae lived a busy life in Felt, Oklahoma with raising animals, gardening and preserving the fruit of their labors. Her love of the outdoors taught her children and grandchildren to love and care for creation and beauty of home. She enjoyed sewing crafts and made a Disaster Quilt each year with the Seneca Ladies Aid Quilt Makers. She was a teacher to her family and friends for canning, crocheting, knitting and quilt making. In her 103 years of life she lived by the motto of kindness. She exercised this with her loving husband, children and siblings as well as nieces, nephews and friends. She looked with kindness at our mistakes, our shortcomings and our past.
In addition to her parents, husband and siblings, Ella Mae was preceded in death by 2 grandsons, Jimmy Dean Smith and John McKnight III and a daughter-in-law, Lydia McKnight.
SURVIVORS:
3 DAUGHTERS: Ruby Smith and her husband Jim of Sedan, Kansas, Carolyn McKnight of Boise City, Oklahoma and Billie Withrow and her husband Dick of Hugoton, Kansas.
2 SONS: John McKnight, Jr. And his wife Helen of Felt, Oklahoma and Harvey McKnight of Texline, Texas.
11 Grandchildren, 21 Great-Grandchildren, 5 Great-Great-Grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
MEMORIALS: The family suggests memorials be made in Ella Mae’s memory to the Clayton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Activity Fund, 419 Harding Street, Clayton, New Mexico 88415 or to the charity of your choice.
