Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

McKnight, Annie

Annie May McKnight, 92, of Fort Sumner, died Friday, Oct. 10, 2003 at Retirement Ranch in Clovis.

She was born Nov. 3, 1910, in Wheatland, Quay County, territory of New Mexico, to Early Ray and Emma Dotson Ray. Her mother died when McKnight was very young and she spent most of her youth in St. Louis, Mo. At 19, she moved to Yeso, N.M., to live with her brother. She married Arthur A. Keever in 1932. She and Keever divorced in 1961 and she married James McKnight in 1966.

In 1950, she began work as a telephone operator in Fort Sumner, later moving to Clovis; Albuquerque; Houston, Texas; Anchorage, Alaska; and Seattle, Wash. in connection with her work. She retired from the phone company in about 1980.

She was preceded in death by her husband, James McKnight; a son, James Matthew Keever; and three brothers and a sister.

Survivors include a daughter, Evelyn Sue Shaw (husband George) of Ranchvale; two sons, Arthur Ray Keever (wife Norma) of Conyers, Ga., and Charles Richard Keever (wife Gloria) of Santa Fe. Also surviving are 11 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.

Pallbearers will include David Shaw, Bobby Shaw, Cameron Shaw, Greg Keever and Steve Ray.

Visitation hours will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday at Chavez Funeral Home in Fort Sumner.