Many hearts in West Salisbury and vicinity were saddened when it became known, Tuesday afternoon, that Mrs. William M. Knecht, one of the most highly esteemed women of the community, had passed away suddenly in the Allegany Hospital, Cumberland, Md., in the early afternoon, following a surgical operation for the
removal of an internal cancer.

Mrs. Knecht had been suffering from cancer for
nearly a year, and the operation which her loved ones had hoped would bring about a cure, was performed last Thursday. Up until a very short time before her death, she seemed to be getting along remarkably well, and those attending her were, therefore, greatly surprised and grieved when her condition took a sudden turn for the worse and death resulted a few hours later.

Her age was 54 years, 10 months and one day.
Mrs. Knecht, before her marriage, was Miss Alice Margaret Bevans, a daughter of the late Dr. H. L. Bevans and his surviving wife, whose maiden name was Jane Nicklow. Dr. Bevans practiced medicine at Grantsville, Md., for many years, and
died there some years ago.

Alice Margaret Bevans was born at Ursina, Pa., Feb. 22, 1876, but most of her life, prior to her marriage, was spent in Grantsville, Md., where she grew to womanhood. She was a woman of rare personal charm and fine Christian character, and was wedded to William M. Knecht, a son of Michael Knecht, of West Salisbury, on Oct. 27, 1896. She was the mother of eleven children, eight of whom survive, as follows: Marie, wife of Fred A. Miller of Kittanning, Pa.; Ruth, wife of William Weber of Cleveland, Ohio; Frances J., Regina, Martin C., Carl L., Reta and Jane, at home. She is also survived by five grandchildren, one brother,
Harry L. Bevans, of Steubenville, Ohio, and the following named sisters: Mrs. Julius Henry of Winterville, Ohio, Mrs. John Collins of Connellsville, Pa., and Mrs. Leon Adams of Steubenville, Ohio. Of the three children who preceded Mrs. Knecht to the grave, one was a son who died at the age of 7 or 8 months; her eldest daughter, Miss Helen, a most estimable young woman, died in Baltimore, Md., of influenza, during the serious epidemic of that malady in 1918. She was helping to care for the sick in that city when she contracted her fatal illness. Another beloved daughter, Mrs. John
McKenzie, died last February of tuberculosis at the home of her parents, after a very long illness and much suffering. Speedily following the death of this daughter, the mother's own health gave way, and death soon claimed her, also, to
the great loss of the bereaved family and the community in which she lived.

The funeral will take place at 9:30 a.m., Friday, at St. Michael's Catholic Church, of which Mrs. Knecht was a devoted and most exemplary member. Rev. Father Miller, the local priest, will conduct the service. The burial arrangements will be in charge of J. F. Reich, of Meyersdale, and interment will be made in the St. Michael's Cemetery.