Shirley Mae Knepp

Shirley Manning Knepp, 90, of Salem, Oregon, passed away peacefully on August 30th, 2025, surrounded by family. Shirley was born on June 12th, 1935, in Oregon City to Manley Manford Manning and Dorothy Tedd Manning. She grew up in Willamette, Oregon, where her lifelong faith was nurtured at Willamette Methodist Church. As a child, she lit the sanctuary candles and began a journey of ministry that would span decades.

Shirley graduated from West Linn High School in 1953, attended Portland State College, and earned her teaching credentials from Oregon College of Education in Monmouth. She taught elementary school in Salem and Oak Grove before answering a deeper calling. In 1963, she was accepted as a Methodist Deaconess candidate and taught at Sager Brown School in Baldwin, Louisiana during the Civil Rights Movement—a formative experience that deepened her understanding of justice and compassion.

She married Donald Jack Knepp on September 18th, 1965, at her home church in Willamette. Together, they raised two sons, Henry Knepp of Salem and Michael Knepp of Culver, Oregon. Shirley’s deep love for children led her to open and operate her own preschool, Riverside Farm Daycare Center, in Pendleton—a place where a generation of children were cared for, taught, and encouraged to grow. She also served the Umatilla Indian Reservation community as an Avon representative and welcomed Vietnamese refugees into her home, always extending compassion and hospitality.

In 1989, Shirley and Don became Local Pastors in the United Methodist Church, serving congregations in Echo, North Powder, Haines, Myrtle Creek, Canyonville, and Days Creek. After retiring in 1998, Shirley remained active in the church and community—volunteering at the Salem Riverfront Carousel for 21 years, co-archiving the Oregon United Methodist Archives, and participating in groups like the Bush House Auxiliary, British Travel Fans, and Red Door Community.

Shirley was reinstated as a Deaconess in 2014 at age 76, a testament to her enduring commitment to ministry. She enjoyed arts and crafts, gardening, photography, writing poetry, and traveling with Don to places like Egypt, Malta, and the British Isles.

She is survived by her sons Henry and Michael; daughter-in-law Correy; grandchildren Adam Charles and Emma Rose Knepp; great-granddaughter Scottie Lou Knepp; and her brother James Manning. Shirley was preceded in death by her husband Don, her parents, her sister-in-law Betty Manning, and many beloved colleagues and friends.

A memorial service will be held at First United Methodist Church of Salem on October 18th at 10:30 A.M. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Habitat for Humanity, an organization Shirley deeply supported.