Margaret Ellen Knighton

Born on May 11, 1938, in Birmingham, Alabama, to the late Lucia and Lewis Shelton, she attended Woodlawn High School and married James F. Harper, Jr., a member of the United States Air Force, on May 11, 1957. As a military wife, she had the opportunity to live in many places including Georgia, Mississippi, Hawaii, Texas, South Carolina, Florida, and Okinawa, Japan, in addition to her home state of Alabama. Each place became part of the many memories and experiences that made her life unique.

She found joy in caring for and helping others and was formerly employed by Visiting Nurses Association and Beverly Healthcare in Trussville. Before retiring, she spent her final working years at Kids First at First Methodist Church of Trussville. Though she was a tiny woman, she had a gentle spirit and was known for her sweet, mild-mannered nature. Beneath that quiet sweetness, however, was a feisty spirit and remarkable strength. She faced many hardships throughout her life with courage and perseverance, possessing a strength that seemed greater than one would expect from her small stature.

She loved spending time with friends over coffee at McDonald’s and enjoyed shopping, especially finding great bargains at local thrift stores and Walmart. She also had a love for travel. Of all the places she lived and visited, Hawaii held a special place in her heart. Later in life, she returned many times with her husband, Bobby, where they enjoyed relaxing on the beaches, visiting the zoo, and sharing meals at Perry’s Smorgy.

Aside from her love of Hawaii, nothing meant more to her than her family. Her greatest joy and most cherished role was being a mother to her five children and a grandmother to her nine grandchildren. In 2018, she moved from Birmingham to The Woodlands, Texas, to be closer to her family, allowing her to spend more precious time with those she loved most.

She is survived by her daughters, Deborah (John) Fair, Barbara (Patrick) Kitchens, and Jennifer (Bryan) Kenski; grandchildren, Carissa (Chris) Mingo, Chad Kitchens, Kelsey, Hayden, Hunter, and Holten Harper; and Christopher and Elizabeth Kenski; great-grandchild Reghan Mingo; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Bobby Knighton; former husband, James F. Harper, Jr.; daughter, Terrie Moore; son, James F. Harper, III; grandson, Brandon Kitchens; sisters, Gloria Acton and Hazel Perry; and brother, Phillip Brasher.

A graveside service will be held at Forest Hill Cemetery in Birmingham, Alabama, on Saturday, October 10, 2026, at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association or Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation.