Bonnie Myrle (Milner) McKnight

Bonnie Myrle Milner McKnight, longtime resident of Highway 196 in Fayette County, wife of the late W.J. McKnight, Jr. and longtime nurse in the Memphis and Collierville areas, departed this life Monday morning, January 27, 2014 at the Methodist Germantown Hospital where she had been a patient for one month. She was 83 years of age and died following an extended illness.

Services of Remembrance for Mrs. McKnight were conducted at 4 P.M. Thursday, January 30th at the Peebles West Funeral Chapel at Oakland with Rev. Thomas Foy, pastor of the Kirk Baptist Church near Collierville, officiating. Graveside Services were conducted on Friday, January 31st in the Liberty Hill United Methodist Church Cemetery near McCool, Mississippi with Rev. Doyle Ray Mitchell officiating. Arrangements were provided by Peebles Fayette County Funeral Homes & Cremation Center — West Chapel at Oakland.

Mrs. McKnight was born April 28, 1930 in McCool, Mississippi. She was preceded in death by her parents, Pleasant Johnny Milner and Katherine Bridges Milner. She received her education in the Ethel and French Camp Academy in Attala County, Mississsippi and continued her education to become a Licensed Practical Nurse. She was married September 22, 1947 to W.J. McKnight, Jr., a retired electrician, who preceded her in death on June 17, 2005.

Mrs. McKnight was a member of the Macon, Tennessee United Methodist Church, the Women’s Auxiliary, the Red Hat Society and the Electrical Workers #474 Retirement Club. She was a healthcare provider for much of her life and was a resident of Clarksdale, Mississippi and the Memphis area before moving to Fayette County 49 years ago. She will be remembered for her love of cooking, sewing, painting and ceramics.

Mrs. McKnight is survived by her daughter, Cindy Shackelford (Jim) of Lake Charles, LA; her son, Johnny McKnight (Dot) of Eads; her grandson, Aaron Shackelford (Chelsey) of Lake Charles, LA; and two great grandchildren, Slaydon Shackelford and Sadie Shackelford.

In addition to her husband and parents, Mrs. McKnight was preceded in death by her sister, Marge Drennan.

Casketbearers were family members and friends and the family requests that memorials be directed to the Macon United Methodist Church, 8740 Highway 193, Oakland, TN 38060 or the Kirk Baptist Church, 6365 Raleigh-LaGrange Road, Collierville, TN 38017.