M. Diane McKnight, 78, of Belleville, Ill., born September 26, 1944, in Abbeville, S.C., passed away October 16, 2022.

The oldest of five children, Diane grew up in Calhoun Falls, and later in Greenville, S.C., and attended Lake Superior State College in Michigan. She worked as a Work Controller in the Civil Engineering Office at Kinchloe, Air Force Base, Mich. in 1974. She left Kinchloe after the base closed and went to Baudette, Air Station, Minn. as the Assistant Fire Chief. When Baudette closed in 1979, she was hired as Supervisor of the Accounts Payable Branch of the Accounting and Finance Office at Duluth Air Force Base. She moved to Belleville in 1988 where she worked with the Belleville Development Training Center (DTC) and was the St. Clair Associated Vocational Enterprise (S.A.V.E.) office manager until retiring in 2003. She enjoyed decoupage and knitting and was a fantastic cook.

She was preceded in death by her parents James and Dorothy, nee Cooper, Smith; and parents-in-law John H. McKnight, Sr., and Julia, nee Judge McKnight.

Surviving are her husband of 42 years John H. McKnight, Jr., of O'Fallon, Ill., daughter Melanie Anderson of Asheville, N.C., grandson Brooklyn David Anderson, and siblings Anthony "Tony" Smith, Gloria, nee Smith, Rose, Sylvia, nee Smith, Crouse, and Cooper Smith; siblings-in-law Patricia, nee McKnight, Ashley, Lamar McKnight, Carolyn, nee McKnight, Fredd, and Michelle, nee McKnight, Haughton.

Memorial donations may be made to the Christian Activity Center .

Visitation: 6-7 pm, Saturday, October 22, 2022 at Wolfersberger Funeral Home, O'Fallon, Ill.

Funeral: 7 pm, Saturday, October 22, 2022 at the funeral home with Chaplain Thomas Donley officiating. Burial will take place at New Silverbrook Cemetery, Anderson, S.C.