Pearl Ethel McKnight, 91

Pearl Ethel Christensen McKnight, 91, of Aberdeen, ID, passed away Friday, November 24, 2017, incident to the maladies of old age. Pearl was born November 14, 1926, in Aberdeen, Bingham County, ID, to Henry Parley Christensen and Ethel Alzina (Snow) Christensen.

Pearl attended school in Aberdeen. In 1942, she married Anastacio (Ernie) Ramirez. To that union was born one son, Ronald A. Ramirez. They were divorced. She later married William Tomlinson and Harry Batterton and was blessed with six other children; Ganene Kay Tomlinson, Vicky Lee Tomlinson, Linda Marie Tomlinson, Darwin Dale Tomlinson, Daniel LaRay Batterton and Donna Jodene Batterton. Both of these marriages also ended in divorce. In July of 1960 she married her eternal sweetheart, Bruce McKnight, who accepted and treated all the children as his own. Pearl and Bruce were sealed to one another in the Logan Temple on April 22, 1993. They were married for nearly 43 years prior to his death.

Pearl spent the early years of her life in Aberdeen, where she helped her father work the farm as her older brothers went to serve their country in World War II. She later would live in Montana and Nevada, but then returned to her loved home, Aberdeen. As an adult, she worked as a waitress and cook in restaurants, in seasonal farm work, while harvesting lodge pole pine for building fences, and at the Simplot plant in Aberdeen; any work she could find to help support her family.

Pearl showed unconditional love for all persons, which in turn endeared her to the whole community. She was a friend to all. She seldom shook anyone’s hand. Instead she would greet both friends and strangers with a big embrace and also a kiss if they were especially dear to her. Of course, this was a family trait and she and her sisters were known as the “kissing sisters.”

Pearl was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and would serve in any capacity asked of her. When her bishop heard that her son had given her a computer, he called her to be an indexer. Though she never learned any other functions on the computer, she indexed over 25,000 names of deceased persons. She also loved to help support missionaries on their missions.

Pearl is survived by the children Ronald (Nadine) Ramirez of Blackfoot, Vicky Glover of Whitebird, ID, Linda (Gary) Styler of Seeley Lake, MT, Darwin (Shirley) McKnight, of Orofino, ID, Daniel Batterton, of Las Vegas, NV, and Donna (Larry) Bachman also of Las Vegas, NV. She also has nearly 100 living grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. Pearl was preceded in death by her beloved Bruce, one daughter, Ganene, her parents, her sisters Donna Petty and Della Verona Nelson, and her brothers Darald, Delbert, Vaughn, Max and Lloyd Christensen.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 1, at the Aberdeen LDS Church building. Family will meet with friends from 6-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov 30, at the Aberdeen LDS Chapel and one hour prior to service at the church.

Internment will be held at the Aberdeen Cemetery immediately following the funeral service. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.davisrosemortuary.com.