Ann E. (Clay) McKnight

Mrs. Ann Elizabeth McKnight of Milford, MA, passed away peacefully on August 16, 2021, surrounded by her loving family.

Ann was born on June 13, 1934, the eldest child of Sam Clay and Frances (Ford) Clay.  She and her sister, Carolyn, were raised in Plymouth, NH.  Ann loved the White Mountains and attending Plymouth High School where she was voted Carnival Queen and Miss Popularity in 1952.

Ann met her future husband, Orren B. (“OB”) McKnight, Jr., of Haverhill, MA in the summer of 1952 while he was working road construction outside her Plymouth home. OB courted Ann on nearby Loon Lake where his parents owned a boys’ camp and Ann’s parents owned a summer camp. OB frequently canoed across the lake to spend time with Ann.  They were married on October 3, 1953 and blessed with four children, Bruce, Susan, Sally and Michael.  In 1961, Ann and OB moved to Michigan, where Ann enjoyed some of the happiest years of her life raising her young family.  Ann and OB also lovingly took in two foster teenagers, Linda and Becky. 

Ann’s passions included sewing, knitting, writing poetry and her memoirs, the choir and her church.  Summers were spent camping with family and friends on the shores of Silver Lake and Lake Michigan where memories were made that she recounted often.

In 1967 the family moved east to Holden, MA where they lived for the next 35 years.  Ann continued to raise her family, worked as a medical assistant in a local doctor’s office, took psychology courses at Clark University and developed a passion for helping and mentoring teenagers in need of support.  One young lady remained close to Ann for the remainder of her life and held a special place in her heart.  In her spare time Ann knit sweaters for her family that have been passed from one generation to the next, created beautiful mosaic cut glass steppingstones and wrote poetry.  She loved to sing and play the piano and harmonica surrounded by friends and family.  She enjoyed all kinds of games and was known to play a mean game of Spoons!  Ann always made people laugh with her sense of humor and quick wit.

In 2002, after OB retired, Ann and OB moved to Shrewsbury, MA where they continued to enjoy their growing family.  They remained in Shrewsbury for 12 years before moving to Cornerstone Assisted Living in Milford, MA where she lived until her passing.

Ann was predeceased by her loving husband, OB, and her sister, Carolyn Smith.   She is survived by her children (Bruce McKnight and his wife, Claire, of Livingston, MT; Susan Kramer and her husband, Fred, of Plymouth, MA; Sally McKnight and her husband, Mark Berthiaume, of Franklin, MA; and Michael McKnight and his wife, Michelle, of Wrentham, MA); as well as eight grandchildren (Matthew McKnight  and his wife, Whitney; Kirsten McKnight and her husband, James Kerrigan; Lauren (Kramer )Maregni and her husband, Tom; Jeffrey Kramer and his husband, Chris; Katharine Berthiaume; Michael Berthiaume and his wife, Elena;   Sara Berthiaume; and Daniel McKnight and his wife, Molly);  nine great-grandchildren (Walker and William McKnight; Matthew and Adelaide Kerrigan; Maeve and Bodie Maregni; Olivia Kramer; Luke Berthiaume; and Sophia McKnight); and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held for Ann at a later time. 

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, THE FAMILY REQUESTS THAT DONATIONS BE MADE TO:   SALMON VNA & HOSPICE, 37 BIRCH STREET, MILFORD MA 01757

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