June W. MacKnight, 84

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - June Ware MacKnight, of Charlottesville, passed away peacefully April 11, 2009, after battling Alzheimer's disease for a number of years. She was 84. Mrs. MacKnight was born July 2, 1924, in New York City to Charles and Lillian Ware. After graduating from Hunter College High School in Manhattan, she attended Patterson State Teachers College in preparation for nursing studies. She then undertook formal nursing training at Englewood Hospital in Englewood, N.J., where she met her future husband, Dr. Joseph C. MacKnight. After their marriage in 1947, Mrs. MacKnight accompanied her husband to post-war occupied Japan where their first child was born. Upon their return to the U.S., Mrs. MacKnight lived in Richmond, and then moved to Fredericksburg, where she lived for 25 years. Prior to moving to Charlottesville, Dr. and Mrs. MacKnight resided in Seaford, Del., for 17 years. Mrs. MacKnight spent her life in dedicated and unselfish service to others. The loving mother of four sons, she had at least one son at home for over 35 years. She was a wonderful homemaker who enjoyed entertaining, cooking, and hosting guests. She was a lover of art and music and enjoyed theatrical presentations and the symphony. An artistic individual with a gift for drawing and painting, she also wrote extensively as a young woman and particularly enjoyed writing poetry. Later in life, she passionately studied the genealogy of the Ware family back to early 19th century England. Throughout her life, she traveled extensively and enjoyed sharing her experiences with others. Mrs. MacKnight was a person of great Christian faith who made a lifelong commitment to Christian education, church development, and support of missions work around the world. She was an active and long-term member of Fredericksburg Baptist Church in Fredericksburg, and Grace Baptist Church in Seaford, Del. After moving to Charlottesville, she was an enthusiastic member of Trinity Presbyterian Church. Mrs. MacKnight is preceded in death by her husband of 55 years, Dr. Joseph C. MacKnight. She is survived by her brother, Charles Ware of Clearwater, Fla.; four sons: Paul J. MacKnight of Sulphur, La., Thomas E. MacKnight of Aylett, Kenneth C. MacKnight of LaFayette Ga., and Dr. John M. MacKnight of Charlottesville; 17 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. A graveside funeral service was held on Saturday, April 18, 2009, in the Monticello Memory Gardens, 670 Thomas Jefferson Parkway, near Monticello. The family received friends prior to the service from Hill & Wood Funeral Home, 1st and Market St., Charlottesville. The family requests that expressions of sympathy be directed to the Alzheimer's Association. Friends may sign the guestbook at www.hillandwood.com