Catherine Dorothy Francis Knight

Catherine Dorothy Francis Knight, known as Dottie passed away Thursday, April 3,2014 at Good Samaritan Society in Grand Island.

Funeral services are scheduled for 11am Saturday at St Marys Catholic Church in Wood River with Rev. James Janovec officiating. Committal will be at St. Mary's Cemetery in Wood River. A visitation will take place from 4 to 7pm on Friday at Apfel Funeral Home in Wood River with a 7 pm Rosary service at the funeral home.

Dottie was born on March 21, 1917 on a homestead farm north of Wood River to William and Mae (Neville) Francis as a twin with her brother Jerome. Other siblings included her sister Isabel, and her brother Billy who died of rheumatic fever at the age of 15. Dottie lost her mother to leukemia when she was only three.

She lived on the farm with her father until she began teaching at District 33 just east of Wood River. She moved in to Wood River shortly after she began teaching to make the travel to District 33 easier during the winter months.

She met her husband, Melvin Knight, known to all as Turk, while he was on leave from the Air Force where he served as a gunner during World War II. The couple married at St Marys Catholic Church on March 7, 1945.

She was famous for her cinnamon rolls and cinnamon bread and her house was the destination for popcorn balls for trick or treaters every Halloween.

She enjoyed camping, particularly when the children were young. Almost every weekend was spent at Johnsons Lake with other families from Wood River. The family took many vacations in a converted school bus which the dubbed Knights Krazy Kamper. The bus was converted to a camper with the the help of friends and neighbors. Dottie served as the co-navigator and primary fuel gauge monitor.

Dottie and Turk enjoyed playing golf, particularly after the Wood River Country Club was built and Dottie often played in the womens league on Wednesday evenings.

She was an avid bridge player and reader of books. She loved sports of all kinds and was a big Husker fan.

Dottie served as a member of Saint Marys Altar Society as well as the American Legion Auxiliary. She also volunteered at the VA Hospital in Grand Island and worked as a part time librarian .

Dottie was preceded in death by Turk in 1985, her brother Billy, sister Isabel Gross, her twin Jerome and her daughter Patricia in February of this year.

Dottie is survived by three sons and two daughters; John Knight of Chanute, Kansas; Chris Stavheim of Sandy, Utah; Joe Knight of Neligh, Nebraska; Maureen (Scoot) Rennau of Wood River and James (Fred) Knight of Lincoln, Nebraska. Dotties memory is also cherished by 11 grandchildren and 1 great grand child.

It was Dotties wish that memorials be given in lieu of flowers. Suggested memorials are St Marys Building Fund and the Wood River Foundation.

Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.apfelfuneralhome.com