Wilberta Marie Knocke

Knocke, Wilberta Marie, 79, homemaker and dedicated community volunteer in Wichita for nearly six decades, died Saturday, May 13, 2006. Visitation will be Tuesday, May 16, from 6-8 P.M. at Downing Lahey Mortuary East. Interment is at 10 A.M. Wednesday at White Chapel Memorial Gardens, followed by a memorial service and reception at Holy Cross Lutheran Church at 2 P.M. She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Norman. Together, she and her husband were among the earliest members of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, where she served for two terms as president of the Lutheran Womens Missionary League. Warm and gregarious with a large network of friends, she also served on the churchs Evangelism Committee, welcoming new members. At the time of her death, she was a Deaconess and active in two Bible study groups. In recent years, she helped plan activities for seniors in the churchs Golden Eagles group. Other community efforts included 16 years with the Lionesses of the Downtown Lions Club, which she served as president. She was born in Ravenswood, West VA., in 1926. During World War II, she worked as a secretary at the Pentagon and later at the Office of Security Information in Detroit. Mrs. Knocke enjoyed reading and traveling, especially to visit her large extended family. In addition to her husband, she is survived by three children: son Wayne (Kay) of Phoenix, daughter Cynthia (Michael) Atwood of Philadelphia, and son Joel (Veronica) of San Antonio; seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, as well as a sister, Josephine Lloyd of Milwaukee, Wis. Memorials to Holy Cross Lutheran Church or Lutheran Womens Missionary League, both at 600 N. Greenwich, Wichita, KS 67206. Tributes to www.downingandlahey.com. Our beloved wife, mother and grandmother will be greatly missed by her family. Visitation with family 6:00 to 8:00 pm Tuesday at Downing and Lahey East Mortuary.