Betty Jane McKnight Norris passed away peacefully at her residence with her daughter by her side on Friday, April 5, 2024. Heaven gained a special angel on that day and the night sky suddenly became much brighter. Betty was so blessed to be surrounded all her days with a loving family and such dear wonderful friends.
She was born to Joe and Altie Hayes McKnight on July 14, ?, in Dyer, Tennessee. Betty graduated from Dyer High School and then began a new adventure by going to work for Western Union, which eventually brought her to Owensboro, Kentucky. From that point forward she called and made Owensboro her new home. Owensboro proved to be the right place to call home because she met and married her wonderful husband Ronald Norris. They were married in March of 1951 and had a beautiful and blessed life together.
After marriage she worked a brief time for Texas Gas before beginning the next new chapter of life, becoming a Mother, which became her most rewarding job. She set an example not only to her family but to those around her by facing life with such grace, charm and always with a beautiful smile.
Betty was always active, she faithfully walked everyday and was actually a pretty darn good sports enthusiast. She played 3 v 3 half court (way back when) basketball in High School. She carried the love of basketball until the end of life, after all it was March madness and she enjoyed cheering on the University of Kentucky basketball team. Later in life she became an avid tennis player and would occasionally hit the links with her husband Ronnie. The best part of her tennis career were her tennis groups that she played in and honestly they had more fun taking trips or eating lunch than playing tennis. She was able to attend Wimbledon and the US Open, what fun that was for her to see the tennis professionals play. There is a reason the tennis score has “Love” because she truly loved the game and especially being with her friends. She was such a classy and elegant lady and she would never ever say that about herself but she would say that staying healthy and being active were the secret ingredients.
Betty was a member of several bridge clubs and made many long lasting friends and once again enjoyed playing bridge throughout her lifetime while in Owensboro.
Besides being active and playing bridge, she was definitely active volunteering and a member in many organizations, and yes she enjoyed each and every one. She was a member of Settle Memorial United Methodist Church and the Mary Lou Phillips Sunday School Class, the class actually had a cookbook, which is still on her cookbook shelf! Betty was probably one of the longest serving members of Settle Memorial from when she first moved to Owensboro until her passing. She loved her church and volunteering her time especially during a building renovation in the 70’s. She was an excellent typist and yes that was on a manual typewriter-no computers back then and her organizational skills were impeccable. Betty volunteered at the Wendall Foster Center for the Postman Walk and always enjoyed her time at the Center. She was an active parent as she was President of the PTA at Longfellow Elementary School. Betty was a member of the Cotillion Club and then the Junior League, became a Kentucky Colonel, Garden Club, Women’s Guild, and was President of Hospital Guild now Women’s Guild. She was also volunteered without her knowledge many times to drive cheerleaders or the tennis team, she just had that way about her she was just fun to be around.
Honestly people would simply fall in love with her whether young or old she was a people person and treated everyone with kindness. Underneath all that love and heart Betty was as tough as nails and she took care of many family members, nursing them through illnesses and was relentless in her care for them. What an example she set for her children and those that were fortunate enough to witness her selfless acts of kindness.
Later in life Betty and Ronnie spent their winters in Naples, Florida and once again had a ball with their Kentucky friends and the new friends they met in Naples.
Betty was truly an amazing wife, mother, friend, grandmother to Katie and enjoyed life fully. She never gave up, she lived every moment until she passed away. She was so happy this last summer when she got to be the grandmother to Katie and to see her get married, something she was so excited to witness and also to be a part of the wedding.
To sum up a beautiful person and her life is virtually impossible to really do, but a few words-actually more than a few words to describe Betty would be brave, confident, caring, nurturing, funny, smart, loving, feisty, energetic, a good friend, kind, never a complainer, good listener, faithful, mentor, advisor and simply the BEST. Her beautiful smile and sharp wit will be missed but all the fabulous memories of her should bring a smile to those that knew her.
Betty was so fortunate to have an extended family that cared for her deeply and will miss her greatly, the Pam and Ed Janoski family and the Linda Aud family. Betty loved them like her own and was grateful to have them in her life.
In addition to her parents, Betty was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years Ronald L. Norris Sr., her beloved son Landy Norris, her sisters Marion Parrish and Tabitha Holbrook. She is survived by a daughter Jane Norris and a granddaughter Katie Hicks. The family would like to thank her friends for the visits, the love and the support and the Hospice staff and especially the Hospice nurse that saw her through to the end from Hospice Care and Palliative Care of Western Kentucky.
Please join the family in a celebration of life for such a lovely lady.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday, April 19, 2024, at Settle Memorial United Methodist Church, burial will follow the service at Elmwood Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 18, 2024 at James H. Davis Funeral Home and on Friday at the church from 9 a.m. until 10 a.m.
Expressions of sympathy may take the form of donations to Settle Memorial United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 1756, Owensboro, Kentucky 42302. Have a wonderful day and please remember to smile and treat everyone with kindness!