Obituary of Joan McKnight

Joan Jacquelyn McKnight was born on May 27, 1936, at Jackson, Minnesota. She, and her sister Jean, were the twin daughters of John and Johanna (Knuth) McKnight. She was raised in Lakefield, Minnesota, where her father served as the Chief of Police and her mother owned and operated a beauty salon downtown. After graduating from high school in 1954, Joan continued her education in nursing and worked for many years, the last being at Fairmont Community Hospital in Fairmont, Minnesota, where she worked for more than 36 years. She was a very caring nurse, primarily working in labor and delivery, and it was her joy in life.  

After retiring in 1998, Joan and Jean moved to Lakefield to care for their aunt, Marie Knuth. After Marie passed away in 2006, they moved to Spirit Lake, Iowa. Jean passed away on December 17, 2015. In 2019, Joan moved to an apartment at Keelson Harbor.  

Joan and Jean had two very special dogs, Chloe, a Miniature Pinscher, and Cara, an older Chihuahua, who was a rescue dog. Cara lived with Joan for a couple years at Keelson Harbor until Cara’s death in 2020.   

Joan was a lifelong member of Grace Lutheran Church in Ewington Township near Worthington, Minnesota. The church was founded by her mother’s grandfather, Jann Janssen, an immigrant from Germany, in 1894; and her grandfather, Claus Knuth, was a charter member. Joan was baptized at the country church on June 14, 1936, and confirmed on June 5, 1949. She was preceded in death by her father in 1968 and her mother in 1992, and two close twin cousins—Ronna McKnight in 2002 and Donna Tifft in 2016. Ronna and Donna’s father, Pete McKnight, was the brother of Joan’s father; and their mother, Emma Knuth, was the sister of Joan’s mother.  

Joan passed away on January 22, 2024, at Milford, Iowa. She is survived by three first cousins—Jan (Knuth) Clark of Albuquerque, New Mexico; Diane (Knuth) Guthridge of What Cheer, Iowa; and Carol Bonney of Arvada, Colorado;  numerous other cousins, including several who were especially close to her: Sherilyn Murphy of Round Lake, Brad Tifft and his wife Caroline of Spirit Lake, Robert Tifft of Dallas, Texas, and Brent Tifft, her godson, and his wife Michelle of Sioux Falls. 

A funeral will be held on February 3rd at 11 AM at Grace Lutheran in Ewington Township with Pastor Jeanette McCormick presiding. Graveside service and lunch will follow the service.