Joanna A. McKnight RN

Born in Fall River, a daughter of the late Vincent and Elisa (Vitullo) Zarlenga, she was a lifelong resident and a graduate of BMC Durfee High School and the former Union School of Nursing , Class of 1947.

A nurse for over 50 years, she retired from Fall River Nursing Home as Nursing Supervisor in 1987. Prior to that, she worked at St. Anne’s Hospital, Charlton Memorial Hospital, Truesdale, Sloan Kettering Institute in New York and Boston City Hospital. She was a member of the Union Hospital Alumni and a communicant of Holy Rosary Church. One of her joys in life was spending time with her grandchildren.

Surviving: five children: James T. McKnight and wife Anna, John J. McKnight and wife Fonda all of Fall River, Joseph R. McKnight and wife Patricia of Acushnet, Elisa Canning and husband William of Harvard, MA and Thomas E. McKnight and companion Cheryl of Daly City, CA, sister: Olympia Tillman of FL, nine grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She was sister of the late Joseph, Pasquale and Guido Zarlenga and Janet Ford.

Her funeral will be held Tuesday, July 12, 2011 at 9:00AM from the WARING-SULLIVAN HOME OF MEMORIAL TRIBUTE AT CHERRY PLACE, 178 Winter St. Fall River with a funeral mass at 10:00 AM in Holy Rosary Church, 120 Beattie St. Fall River. Visiting hours Monday 5-8 PM. Contributions in her honor may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1905. Burial in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Fall River.