Mary Elizabeth Knapp passed away on Saturday, June 28, 2008, after a short illness.
Funeral service will be held 10 A.M., Wednesday, July 2, at the Harvey-Douglas Centennial Chapel with Ben Bailey and Kevin Kasparek officiating. Interment will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery. Family will receive friends Tuesday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
She was born on Aug. 18, 1918, in the small town of Konawa, Okla., to a true pioneer Oklahoma family. She was the oldest of four children of William and Mabel Huddleston. Her dad was a successful banker and rancher in the early days of Oklahoma. Mr. Huddleston was also one of the longest serving county commissioners in Oklahoma history. Her mother was one of the first white children to be born in what was then still Indian Territory. Her two sisters, Virginia Jane Kasparek and Geraldine Alexander preceded her in death. Her husband, Richard L. Knapp Sr. also preceded her in death.
She is survived by her brother, William Thomas (Dub) Huddleston and his wife Phyllis of Konawa; her son Richard L. Knapp Jr. and wife Freda of Altus, and her daughter Cheryl E. Levite and her husband Maurice of Alexandria, Va. She is also survived by three grandchildren, David M. Levite, Raquel A. Berlanga and Felicia L. Knapp; four great-grandchildren, Matthew A. Berlanga, Marie E. Berlanga, Marissa A. Berlanga and Marcus E. Flores, and a great-great-granddaughter, Sara E. Ledesma.
Mary Beth became interested in music at an early age and graduated from Konawa High School, having served in various capacities in the high school band. She then went to the University of Oklahoma to further her education and became a member of the Chi Omega Sorority. While at O.U. she gained the distinction of being voted one of the cutest coeds on campus. It was at this time she met her future husband, Richard L. Knapp Sr
.
Following graduation from O.U., Mary Beth attended the University of North Texas and graduated with a Master of Arts Degree in Music. As war clouds loomed on the horizon, she and her husband were married in Konawa, at her parent's home on Nov 28, 1941. Her husband joined the Army Air Corps and she followed him through various stateside assignments until he shipped overseas. While waiting for his return, she stayed with her parents in Konawa.
At the conclusion of the war, Mary Beth and her husband moved to Ardmore in 1946. Her husband had left the Army Air Corp at the end of the war and resumed a successful outdoor advertising business while Mary Beth attended to raising a son and daughter. Her life abruptly changed on Jan. 20, 1956, when her husband died of injuries related to a vehicle accident. Mary Beth then took on the difficult role of raising two children as a single mother. To help meet expenses, she started a new career as an interior decorator and soon had an exclusive clientele. Her success in her new career gave each of her children the opportunity to further their education at the college level.
Mary Beth was not only a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great-great grandmother, but also devoted some of her leisure time to other pursuits that allowed the family to take many wonderful and unusual vacations. She loved to fish and travel the country to collect rare antiques. These pursuits allowed the family to take many trips off the beaten path to find the best fishing spots and good bargains on rare antiques. It was also during this time period that she became good friends with Ms Lucy Hagen. Lucy and Mary Beth not only became avid fisherman, but also worked together for many years for Dr. Ralph Murphy, a noted Ardmore Pediatrician, who took care of a new generation of Ardmoreites.
Mary Beth eventually retired, but retained her special friendship with Lucy until her death.
Mary Beth will be greatly missed by all her family and by the many friends and acquaintances she made during her long residence in Ardmore. She was blessed with good health until suffering a stroke in March 2007. Her cheerful and outgoing disposition stayed with her to the very end.
Online condolences may be sent to www.hdouglasfuneralhome.com.
Funeral service will be held 10 A.M., Wednesday, July 2, at the Harvey-Douglas Centennial Chapel with Ben Bailey and Kevin Kasparek officiating. Interment will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery. Family will receive friends Tuesday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
She was born on Aug. 18, 1918, in the small town of Konawa, Okla., to a true pioneer Oklahoma family. She was the oldest of four children of William and Mabel Huddleston. Her dad was a successful banker and rancher in the early days of Oklahoma. Mr. Huddleston was also one of the longest serving county commissioners in Oklahoma history. Her mother was one of the first white children to be born in what was then still Indian Territory. Her two sisters, Virginia Jane Kasparek and Geraldine Alexander preceded her in death. Her husband, Richard L. Knapp Sr. also preceded her in death.
She is survived by her brother, William Thomas (Dub) Huddleston and his wife Phyllis of Konawa; her son Richard L. Knapp Jr. and wife Freda of Altus, and her daughter Cheryl E. Levite and her husband Maurice of Alexandria, Va. She is also survived by three grandchildren, David M. Levite, Raquel A. Berlanga and Felicia L. Knapp; four great-grandchildren, Matthew A. Berlanga, Marie E. Berlanga, Marissa A. Berlanga and Marcus E. Flores, and a great-great-granddaughter, Sara E. Ledesma.
Mary Beth became interested in music at an early age and graduated from Konawa High School, having served in various capacities in the high school band. She then went to the University of Oklahoma to further her education and became a member of the Chi Omega Sorority. While at O.U. she gained the distinction of being voted one of the cutest coeds on campus. It was at this time she met her future husband, Richard L. Knapp Sr
.
Following graduation from O.U., Mary Beth attended the University of North Texas and graduated with a Master of Arts Degree in Music. As war clouds loomed on the horizon, she and her husband were married in Konawa, at her parent's home on Nov 28, 1941. Her husband joined the Army Air Corps and she followed him through various stateside assignments until he shipped overseas. While waiting for his return, she stayed with her parents in Konawa.
At the conclusion of the war, Mary Beth and her husband moved to Ardmore in 1946. Her husband had left the Army Air Corp at the end of the war and resumed a successful outdoor advertising business while Mary Beth attended to raising a son and daughter. Her life abruptly changed on Jan. 20, 1956, when her husband died of injuries related to a vehicle accident. Mary Beth then took on the difficult role of raising two children as a single mother. To help meet expenses, she started a new career as an interior decorator and soon had an exclusive clientele. Her success in her new career gave each of her children the opportunity to further their education at the college level.
Mary Beth was not only a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great-great grandmother, but also devoted some of her leisure time to other pursuits that allowed the family to take many wonderful and unusual vacations. She loved to fish and travel the country to collect rare antiques. These pursuits allowed the family to take many trips off the beaten path to find the best fishing spots and good bargains on rare antiques. It was also during this time period that she became good friends with Ms Lucy Hagen. Lucy and Mary Beth not only became avid fisherman, but also worked together for many years for Dr. Ralph Murphy, a noted Ardmore Pediatrician, who took care of a new generation of Ardmoreites.
Mary Beth eventually retired, but retained her special friendship with Lucy until her death.
Mary Beth will be greatly missed by all her family and by the many friends and acquaintances she made during her long residence in Ardmore. She was blessed with good health until suffering a stroke in March 2007. Her cheerful and outgoing disposition stayed with her to the very end.
Online condolences may be sent to www.hdouglasfuneralhome.com.
Mary Elizabeth Knapp passed away on Saturday, June 28, 2008, after a short illness.
Funeral service will be held 10 A.M., Wednesday, July 2, at the Harvey-Douglas Centennial Chapel with Ben Bailey and Kevin Kasparek officiating. Interment will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery. Family will receive friends Tuesday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
She was born on Aug. 18, 1918, in the small town of Konawa, Okla., to a true pioneer Oklahoma family. She was the oldest of four children of William and Mabel Huddleston. Her dad was a successful banker and rancher in the early days of Oklahoma. Mr. Huddleston was also one of the longest serving county commissioners in Oklahoma history. Her mother was one of the first white children to be born in what was then still Indian Territory. Her two sisters, Virginia Jane Kasparek and Geraldine Alexander preceded her in death. Her husband, Richard L. Knapp Sr. also preceded her in death.
She is survived by her brother, William Thomas (Dub) Huddleston and his wife Phyllis of Konawa; her son Richard L. Knapp Jr. and wife Freda of Altus, and her daughter Cheryl E. Levite and her husband Maurice of Alexandria, Va. She is also survived by three grandchildren, David M. Levite, Raquel A. Berlanga and Felicia L. Knapp; four great-grandchildren, Matthew A. Berlanga, Marie E. Berlanga, Marissa A. Berlanga and Marcus E. Flores, and a great-great-granddaughter, Sara E. Ledesma.
Mary Beth became interested in music at an early age and graduated from Konawa High School, having served in various capacities in the high school band. She then went to the University of Oklahoma to further her education and became a member of the Chi Omega Sorority. While at O.U. she gained the distinction of being voted one of the cutest coeds on campus. It was at this time she met her future husband, Richard L. Knapp Sr
.
Following graduation from O.U., Mary Beth attended the University of North Texas and graduated with a Master of Arts Degree in Music. As war clouds loomed on the horizon, she and her husband were married in Konawa, at her parent's home on Nov 28, 1941. Her husband joined the Army Air Corps and she followed him through various stateside assignments until he shipped overseas. While waiting for his return, she stayed with her parents in Konawa.
At the conclusion of the war, Mary Beth and her husband moved to Ardmore in 1946. Her husband had left the Army Air Corp at the end of the war and resumed a successful outdoor advertising business while Mary Beth attended to raising a son and daughter. Her life abruptly changed on Jan. 20, 1956, when her husband died of injuries related to a vehicle accident. Mary Beth then took on the difficult role of raising two children as a single mother. To help meet expenses, she started a new career as an interior decorator and soon had an exclusive clientele. Her success in her new career gave each of her children the opportunity to further their education at the college level.
Mary Beth was not only a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great-great grandmother, but also devoted some of her leisure time to other pursuits that allowed the family to take many wonderful and unusual vacations. She loved to fish and travel the country to collect rare antiques. These pursuits allowed the family to take many trips off the beaten path to find the best fishing spots and good bargains on rare antiques. It was also during this time period that she became good friends with Ms Lucy Hagen. Lucy and Mary Beth not only became avid fisherman, but also worked together for many years for Dr. Ralph Murphy, a noted Ardmore Pediatrician, who took care of a new generation of Ardmoreites.
Mary Beth eventually retired, but retained her special friendship with Lucy until her death.
Mary Beth will be greatly missed by all her family and by the many friends and acquaintances she made during her long residence in Ardmore. She was blessed with good health until suffering a stroke in March 2007. Her cheerful and outgoing disposition stayed with her to the very end.
Online condolences may be sent to www.hdouglasfuneralhome.com.
Funeral service will be held 10 A.M., Wednesday, July 2, at the Harvey-Douglas Centennial Chapel with Ben Bailey and Kevin Kasparek officiating. Interment will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery. Family will receive friends Tuesday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
She was born on Aug. 18, 1918, in the small town of Konawa, Okla., to a true pioneer Oklahoma family. She was the oldest of four children of William and Mabel Huddleston. Her dad was a successful banker and rancher in the early days of Oklahoma. Mr. Huddleston was also one of the longest serving county commissioners in Oklahoma history. Her mother was one of the first white children to be born in what was then still Indian Territory. Her two sisters, Virginia Jane Kasparek and Geraldine Alexander preceded her in death. Her husband, Richard L. Knapp Sr. also preceded her in death.
She is survived by her brother, William Thomas (Dub) Huddleston and his wife Phyllis of Konawa; her son Richard L. Knapp Jr. and wife Freda of Altus, and her daughter Cheryl E. Levite and her husband Maurice of Alexandria, Va. She is also survived by three grandchildren, David M. Levite, Raquel A. Berlanga and Felicia L. Knapp; four great-grandchildren, Matthew A. Berlanga, Marie E. Berlanga, Marissa A. Berlanga and Marcus E. Flores, and a great-great-granddaughter, Sara E. Ledesma.
Mary Beth became interested in music at an early age and graduated from Konawa High School, having served in various capacities in the high school band. She then went to the University of Oklahoma to further her education and became a member of the Chi Omega Sorority. While at O.U. she gained the distinction of being voted one of the cutest coeds on campus. It was at this time she met her future husband, Richard L. Knapp Sr
.
Following graduation from O.U., Mary Beth attended the University of North Texas and graduated with a Master of Arts Degree in Music. As war clouds loomed on the horizon, she and her husband were married in Konawa, at her parent's home on Nov 28, 1941. Her husband joined the Army Air Corps and she followed him through various stateside assignments until he shipped overseas. While waiting for his return, she stayed with her parents in Konawa.
At the conclusion of the war, Mary Beth and her husband moved to Ardmore in 1946. Her husband had left the Army Air Corp at the end of the war and resumed a successful outdoor advertising business while Mary Beth attended to raising a son and daughter. Her life abruptly changed on Jan. 20, 1956, when her husband died of injuries related to a vehicle accident. Mary Beth then took on the difficult role of raising two children as a single mother. To help meet expenses, she started a new career as an interior decorator and soon had an exclusive clientele. Her success in her new career gave each of her children the opportunity to further their education at the college level.
Mary Beth was not only a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great-great grandmother, but also devoted some of her leisure time to other pursuits that allowed the family to take many wonderful and unusual vacations. She loved to fish and travel the country to collect rare antiques. These pursuits allowed the family to take many trips off the beaten path to find the best fishing spots and good bargains on rare antiques. It was also during this time period that she became good friends with Ms Lucy Hagen. Lucy and Mary Beth not only became avid fisherman, but also worked together for many years for Dr. Ralph Murphy, a noted Ardmore Pediatrician, who took care of a new generation of Ardmoreites.
Mary Beth eventually retired, but retained her special friendship with Lucy until her death.
Mary Beth will be greatly missed by all her family and by the many friends and acquaintances she made during her long residence in Ardmore. She was blessed with good health until suffering a stroke in March 2007. Her cheerful and outgoing disposition stayed with her to the very end.
Online condolences may be sent to www.hdouglasfuneralhome.com.
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