Lela "Lea" Kathryn Knecht

Lela “Lea” Kathryn Knecht, 93, of Belleville, passed away peacefully Tuesday, January 9, 2024 surrounded by her family in Alhambra, Illinois. She was born April 17, 1930 in Sedgwick County, Kansas to Wilfred and Thelma (Keihl) Berlin. The family lived on three different farms until she was eight years old; so, she was a real barefoot, dustbowl, depression-era Kansas farm girl. She married the love of her life, Wayne Alfred Knecht on May 9, 1948 in Wichita.

She loved fried chicken and made it every Sunday for her family. And she taught her children to cook. Lea and Wayne blessed their five children with love, care, a secure home and good values and habits, for which the children are forever grateful. Lea worked in her early years in retail and then in health care, where patients and staff loved her. In their later years, Lea and Wayne owned a space in an antique mall, and they travelled extensively to antique shows; she was an expert at pricing many things at estate sales. She had an extensive and beautiful crystal glass (especially small vases) and china collection, which she left to her children; she had many broaches and pins that she wore. She greatly enjoyed camping, fishing and traveling all her life, and she loved her family. She liked to get to know new places and read local papers; one time in Texas, she read about the planned Berlin extended family reunion there, about which she hadn’t known, and her family were enthusiastic participants thereafter. She greatly enjoyed Yahtzee, poker and other games, at which she was very competitive.

Survivors left to cherish her memory include her children, Kathy (Gary) Blanquart, Lisa (Mike) Stegemann, Brent (nee Louise Gorenz) Knecht and Ron (nee Kathy Jensen) Knecht. Son Tom Knecht (nee Zeny Huddleston) passed before her. Also survived by her grandchildren, Karyn Knecht, Tonya Palmer (Cory Henrichs), Tyson Blanquart, Dustin (April) Blanquart, Nicholaus (Samantha) Knecht, Wilda Knecht (Adam Mills), Elizabeth Knecht (James Woodward), Andrew Knecht, Che Knecht, Chico Knecht, and Lucas (Carolina) Knecht; her great grandchildren, Brandon, Joshua and Jacob Knecht; Lacey (Wesley) Jones, Evelyn Knecht (Caleb Morgan) and Benjamin Knecht; Lela Knecht; and Evalynn, Madison and Miley Knecht; Aden and Landon Blanquart and Cora Sinn; Skylar and Patrick Missey, Kaden Palmer, and Leland Henrichs; and her great-great-grandchildren Damien Jones; Adalynn and Cooper Morgan; sisters Mary Dixon and Laura (Richard) Fisher; sisters-in-law Dorothy Berlin and Ann Berlin; brother-in-law Leon Davis; and many of their progeny.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Wilfred and Thelma Berlin; husband, Wayne Alfred Knecht; son, Tom Knecht; siblings, Retha Ann Lawson, Judy Davis, Wilfred (“Sonny”) Berlin, Glenn Berlin, Dwayne Berlin, Jerry Berlin and Don Berlin; sister-and brother-in-law, Corrine (Clarence) Schlueter; and some of their progeny.

A memorial visitation for Lea will be held on Monday, January 15, 2024 from 2:00pm to 4:00pm with a time of sharing at 4:00pm in Lake View Funeral Home, 5000 N. Illinois St., Fairview Heights, IL 62208.

Memorial contributions can be made to donors’ choices.