Vertie Knapp

Vertie Blake Knapp, 90, died peacefully in her home in Stroudsburg on January 21, 2021. Vertie was born in Portland, Maine on May 10, 1930, to Raymond Arthur and Phila May (Hannon) Blake. She was raised in Portland and graduated with the Class of 1948 from South Portland High School.

Upon completing high school, Vertie moved to New York City. She worked at Scalamandre Silks while she completed coursework at The New York School of Interior Decoration. She met and married her husband, Byron H. Knapp, in New York City. They moved to the Poconos in 1964 when Byron accepted a teaching position in the Biology Department at East Stroudsburg State College.

In Stroudsburg, Vertie began her college education. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts degree, both in History, at East Stroudsburg State College. She also earned a Master of Arts degree in Library Media and Information Science at the University of South Florida. Vertie always sought to apply her education in life.

From a very young age, Vertie’s life was dominated by her love of books. She read as much as she could, as a girl. As a young woman in New York City, she spent her lunch hours at the Public Library and spent many hours perusing book stores. In the Poconos, she worked part-time in the college library while taking her courses. Later she served many years as the outreach librarian for Eastern Monroe Public Library; this involved establishing the Library’s homebound service and maintaining the nursing home collections. She also volunteered extensively with the Friends of the Library; her knowledge of book values was a wonderful resource for the Friends’ fundraising book sales. Vertie has said, “I don’t think I am my books, but books are a part of me and I don’t want ever to be without them.”

Vertie also worked many years as curator for the Monroe County Historical Society. She did extensive research and evaluation of period textiles, including quilts and samplers, rugs and household linens. Her work at Scalamandre fostered a lifelong appreciation of craft.

Vertie was active with the Pocono Area, Pennsylvania Division of the American Association of University Women. She was also an enthusiastic gardener.

Vertie loved genealogy; she studied her family history extensively. She loved her family and had a fond relationship with her siblings and their children and grandchildren.

Vertie was preceded in death by her husband Byron, her parents, and her brother Raymond A. Blake, Jr. She is survived by her sister, Retta Lagdon of Jacksonville, FL, and many nieces and nephews.

Special thanks to Vertie’s friend and neighbor Erin Reiche for the loving care and assistance she provided for the past several years.

No memorial service is planned at this time. Please honor Vertie Knapp by visiting your local public library or bookstore. Enjoy a good book, and remember Vertie!