Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Mrs. Mary W. McKnight, 81, of Lanett passed away Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021, at EAMC Lanier in Valley. Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. EDT Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, at Johnson Brown-Service Funeral Home in Valley with Rev. Gerald Carnes officiating. Burial followed at Johnson Memorial Gardens.

Survivors include her husband of 59 years, Early C. McKnight, Jr. of Lanett; son, Early (Wanda) McKnight, III of Tullahoma, Tennessee; two grandsons, Carson (Kelsey) McKnight of Murpheesboro, Tennessee and Hunter McKnight of Tullahoma, Tennessee; two great-grandchildren, Amelia and Oliver McKnight; brother, Alton (Martha) Whittemore, Jr. of Arnoldsville, Georgia; niece, Patta (Greg) Wolford of Logansville, Georgia; great niece, Marguerite Wolford and great nephew, Alexander Wolford and longtime special friends Lee and Elva Myers.

Mary was born on Oct. 11, 1940, in Elberton, Georgia to the late Alton Dennis Whittemore, Sr. and Sarah Stephenson Whittemore. She graduated from Jefferson High School in Jefferson, Georgia in 1958. She received an associate degree from Reinhardt College in Waleska, Georgia and a BS degree from Piedmont College in Demorest, Georgia. She completed her master’s degree in education from Auburn University.

She taught school for 17 years in the Chambers County School System. She enjoyed seeing former students around town and catching up with their lives.

She loved spending time with her family, and she loved her church family. She was a member of Shawmut United Methodist Church. She enjoyed spending time with friends quilting, and she was an avid reader. She was a volunteer at the Chattahoochee Hospice. She also volunteered in the community and served on many boards.

Her parents preceded her in death as well as her in-laws, Early C. McKnight and Julia High McKnight.

Visit www.johnsonbrownservicefh.com to sign the online guest book.

Johnson Brown-Service Funeral Home of Valley directing.