Annie May McKnight

Annie May McKnight, 92 of Fort Sumner, NM went to be with the Lord at 3:00 A.M. Friday, October 10, 2003. She was born November 3, 1910 in Wheatland, Quay County, Territory of New Mexico to the home of Early Ray and the former Emma Dotson. She was the third of five children born to this union. Annie’s mother died when Annie was very young and she spent most of her youth and teenage years living in St. Louis, MO. However, she was unhappy there and let the rest of the family know that by writing letters back home. One day, to her surprise, her oldest brother, Raymond appeared unannounced at the five and dime store in St. Louis where Annie was working. Raymond was wearing a 10-gallon hat and cowboy boots and created quite a scene. He was there to take 19 year old Annie back to New Mexico and away they went to the metropolis of Yeso where Raymond worked as a ranch hand. Annie loved to attend the country dances held in and around De Baca County and it was here that she met her first husband (a guy known to be very light on his feet), Arthur A. Keever. They were married in 1932, four children were born to this union. From the beginning, Annie’s life was very hard, she married during the Great Depression and was faced with raising four children on very limited income as were most people in the community. Jobs were scarce if one could even be found. Things improved a little after WW II. Annie was one of the first three women to work in the lunch room at the Fort Sumner Public Schools; she also worked as a waitress at the original Sprout’s Café. Around 1950 she told a fib about her age to get a job as a telephone operator in the little office building last owned by Ed Powell. (Yes, there was age discrimination in 1950). This began a 30-year career with the telephone company with Annie moving to Clovis, Albuquerque, Houston, TX; Anchorage, Alaska, and Seattle, Washington. She didn’t stay long in Alaska because of the earthquake while she was there. Annie and Arthur divorced in 1961. Annie retired from the phone company about 1980. She married James “Jim” McKnight in 1966, he died in 1992 of complications due to Alzheimers. For many years Annie and Jim would make an annual trip to New Mexico to see friends and relatives. Annie’s project was to always bring enough raspberry jam for everyone (sometimes too much) to last an entire year. Raspberries grow on fence rows in Washington the way tumble weeds do in New Mexico. The grandkids and nephews and nieces would always remember Annie as the lady who brings that good jam. We haven’t had any in a long time now. After Jim passed away, Annie really had a desire to return to her “roots”. She first moved back to Albuquerque for a year, but it was too big and busy. Fort Sumner and the Senior Citizen’s Center were like magnets and she announced to Richard she wanted to move. So she sold out in Albuquerque and bought the Esther Fallon house on Main Street. Annie was happy in Fort Sumner for 10 years until the inevitable wear and tear of more than 92 years of a hard life slowed her down. She spent the last year and a half at the Retirement Ranch in Clovis, NM. Annie was preceded in death by her husband James McKnight in 1992; a son James Matthew Keever in 2000, three brothers and a sister. Survivors include a daughter Evelyn Sue Shaw and husband George of Ranchvale, NM; two sons Arthur Ray Keever and wife Norma of Conyers, GA; and Charles Richard Keever and wife Gloria of Santa Fe, NM. Also surviving are 11 grandchildren and 15 Great-grandchildren along with nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends. Graveside Services will be held at 1:30 P.M. Monday, October 13, 2003 from the Fort Sumner Cemetery with Juan Chavez officiating. Pallbearers will include David Shaw, Bobby Shaw, Cameron Shaw, Greg Keever, J.T. Ray, and Steve Ray. All arrangements are under the direction of Chavez Funeral Home in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. Visitation hours will be Sunday from 10AM to 6PM and Monday from 10AM to 1PM at the funeral home. The family prefers memorials to the Baptist Children’s Home, Box 629; Portales, NM 88130; or the Fort Sumner Cemetery Assn. Box 180, Fort Sumner, New Mexico 88119. (505) 355-2311 www.chavezfuneralhome.com