Willa Dean was born on April 13, 1934, in Henderson, TN to Versie Mae Deming Harris and John Durward Harris, Sr.
She is preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, John Thomas McKnight (Tommy); her son, John Thomas McKnight II (Johnny); brothers, John Durward Harris Jr, and Deming Murdaugh Harris; along with sister, Wanda Jean Harris Lovelace. She is survived by daughter, Cindy Channell (Tommy); son, Doug McKnight (Beth), all of Memphis; and grandchildren, Evan Hunter McKnight of New York City, Beaty Elizabeth McKnight of New York City, Thomas Clinton Channell Jr (Clint) of Memphis; two step-grandsons, Rex Eric Watts Jr and John Peyton Watts, of Memphis; and sister, Virginia Harris Williams (Jimmy) of Fort Mill, SC.
Willa Dean grew up in Henderson, TN, where she attended Chester County High School and was chosen Miss Chester County High School by her fellow student body. She excelled on the basketball court too, as she was quite the athlete! She later attended West Tennessee Business College, where upon completion, she worked in bookkeeping for Jackson Electric Company in Jackson, TN. Along the way, she met and fell in love with Tommy and they were married in July 1955. Soon thereafter, their first child, Johnny, was born. Willa Dean and Tommy were very busy building up a business together and as she worked on bookkeeping at Jackson Electric she was also “moonlighting” by helping Tommy. Soon into their marriage, she assumed bookkeeping duties for the family’s real estate businesses and the rest is history! She and Tommy worked alongside each other for the remainder of their 61-year marriage. Willa Dean was always the quiet and supportive voice for Tommy to lean on as the businesses grew. Along the way, she also ventured into business for herself, successfully launching and operating a gift and merchandise business called The Artichoke, in Jackson. It was highly successful, and she worked diligently to grow the business, all the while, continuing to help Tommy with the family businesses. Willa Dean also played an active role in Tommy’s political career, meeting dignitaries, playing hostess to political events and offering support to him for their dual roles serving their constituency and running the family interests.
Willa Dean enjoyed many things in life, with great pleasure coming from traveling all around the country and the world with her husband, along with their children. The family took many vacations together over the years. As the years progressed, Willa Dean and Tommy loved traveling to visit their children and grandchildren. Endearingly known as “Mimi” to her grandchildren, and pretty much every one that got to know her, she adored and cherished all of them and enjoying nothing more than spending time with them. Her joy and fulfillment came from serving Christ, serving others like Christ, and spending time with all her family, siblings and close friends.
As a wife, mother and grandmother, Willa Dean’s love was unconditional and the joy she gave to everyone and provided to her family was immeasurable. All who knew her were touched by her kindness, her steadfast faith and her devotion to others. She was simply the embodiment of the “Fruits of the Spirit” found in Galatians 5:22-23; But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control; against such things there is no law.
Willa Dean once wrote in a note to her late husband; “I think the hardest part of losing you isn’t having to say goodbye, but rather learning to live without you, always trying to fill the emptiness that’s left inside. You are an amazing man and will be remembered for the compassion and love you had for others, especially your love for me”. This loving message from her to him is beautiful, but it’s also exactly what we all know and can say about Willa Dean. All of us that knew her felt her love, compassion and genuine care for others. Willa Dean was a person of extraordinary faith, in all aspects of her life. Her faith drove her and guided her, often through periods where she didn’t know the outcome or know where the finish line would be, yet she persevered knowing her faith would guide her through anything life threw her way. Through her example, her children, grandchildren and many that truly knew her are all blessed, and a better person having known and experienced her love and faith for others, and in her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Willa Dean led a lifetime of selfless service to others and to her faith. Along with her husband, she was an active member of Germantown Baptist Church as members of Agape Sunday School Class and enjoyed weekly bible study gatherings. Before moving to Germantown, she and Tommy resided in Hendersonville, TN where they attended First Baptist Church of Hendersonville, where they were equally as active in the Church body and in the community. She was also faithful and quite active in her service to the Tres Dias Community of Tennessee. She and Tommy would serve each year tirelessly leading retreats that bring so many people closer to Christ and to each other, including the McKnight family. Later in her life she was also embraced by her children’s churches, Christ United Methodist Church (Doug) and Woodland Presbyterian Church (Cindy), both in Memphis. Each of these Church bodies collectively became an integral part of Willa Dean’s life and her spiritual faith journey. The family is so grateful for all the love, prayers and tender care extended to her during her final years. She was not only blessed by them, but we can also rest assured in knowing they were mutually blessed by her. Her light will continue to shine as she will always be cherished, honored and loved by her children, grandchildren and countless friends and people whose lives she touched and blessed.
The family wants to extend deep gratitude for the loving care of all Willa Dean’s caregivers and to thank Baptist Reynolds Hospice House for the care given her the past couple of weeks. Both Willa Dean and Tommy passed on from this world to their heavenly home while residing at Reynolds. The family is so grateful to the entire team for caring for her in such a loving and unconditional way. The ministry represented at Reynolds must be experienced firsthand to fully understand what all they provide for our loved ones in their final days. No one wants a family member to end up in hospice but for those families who face having to make such a decision, the Memphis community is truly blessed by the services and the care Reynolds provides to our loved ones.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18