Mount Ayr Record News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, May 29, 2008

Anna Belle KNIGHT was born August 14, 1919 to Arlen and Arzetta (COULTER) DREDGE at Knowlton, Iowa in Ringgold County. She passed away at the Clearview Home in Mount Ayr, Iowa at the age of 88 years, 9 months and 8 days. The DREDGE family lived at Knowlton and Afton before moving to the Tingley area. Anna Belle went to country schools at Sunnyside, Oak Grove and Colorama. She also went to Tingley High School. After school she worked for local neighbors helping out with housework and childcare. Anna Belle and friend Vernice BANNER enjoyed going to music and dances at Tingley, IA.

On September 25, 1937 in Clarinda, Iowa Anna Belle was united in marriage to Richard KNIGHT of Mount Ayr. Richard and Anna Belle farmed for many years south of Mount Ayr moving to the home place in 1944. Anna Belle took excellent care of Richard for 27 years after he was disabled by a stroke. She was a hard working woman taking care of the family farm and livestock with the help of her son-in-law Kyle SHAHA. Anna Belle enjoyed their loving marriage for 55 years, until Richard passing on February 3, 1993. Due to health problems, Anna Belle moved to Clearview Nursing Home on July 10, 2007.

Anna Belle’s greatest hobbies included crocheting afghans and doilies for her family, vegetable gardening, canning, making flower rock gardens, word puzzles, talking on the telephone, pulling weeds, going to neighborhood club meetings, and going to Redding to music every Sunday with her brothers, Junior and Roena DREDGE and Frank DREDGE. Anna Belle was a loving housewife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. Anna Belle’s greatest joy was being with her family. After 12 years of marriage one daughter, Pamela Joan, was born and later two grandchildren, Krista and Travis came along.

The family will remember her famous noodles, deep dish apple pies, cookies and jams. Many good memories were made and will leave an empty place that will never be filled. She had a caring personality and a gift of gab which she always displayed. She never knew a stranger and would strike up a conversation anytime and any where.

She was a member of the First Christian Church in Mount Ayr, the Rebekah Lodge of Mount Ayr and of several clubs; Ladies Community Club, Ladies Leisure Hour Club, Secondhand Doll Club, Sunshine Club, and the VIC traveling group.

Anna Belle was preceded in death by her loving husband, Richard; parents; brothers Henry and Hubert; sisters Evalee KNIGHT, Lorena JONES and Marie RAINS; mother and father-in-law Orr And Hattie KNIGHT; brothers-in-law Raymond HALEY, Edward JONES, Merle WYCKOFF, Howard KNIGHT and Edward KNIGHT; sisters-in-law Evlaine DREDGE, Elizabeth DREDGE, Luceal KNIGHT, Millicent KNIGHT and Louise WYCKOFF; niece Mary JONES, and nephews Gary HALEY and Mike DREDGE.

Left to cherish her memory are her daughter Pamela and husband Kyle SHAHA, granddaughter Krista and husband Joe DRISCOLL, grandson Travis and wife Judi SHAHA, four great-grandsons, Kyle and Konnor DRISCOLL and Bryce and Brock SHAHA. She is also survived by brothers Frank DREDGE, Junior DREDGE and wife Roena, Lloyd DREDGE and wife Loree; brother-in-law John RAINS; sister-in-law Helen DREDGE and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

She will be greatly missed by her family.

Services were conducted at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, May 27, 2008 from First Christian Church of Mount Ayr, Iowa, with Rev. Karen MOORE officiating. Musicians were Nancy SACKETT, Mary Davenport and Mary BICKERS.

Casket bearers were Royce DREDGE, Duane DREDGE, Frank RAINS, Kurt SHAHA, George HUNT and Keith SACKETT.

Honorary pallbearers were Krista DRISCOLL, Travis SHAHA, Kyle DRISCOLL, Bryce SHAHA, Konnor DRISCOLL and Brock SHAHA.

Anna Belle was laid at rest in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Mount Ayr.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2009

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