Jenny Lynne Knight

Jenny “Lynne” Knight, 75, of Vinton, VA, passed away on January 9, 2025, after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.  Born Jenny Lynne Kingery in Roanoke, VA, Lynne lived a vibrant and fulfilling life. Known for her gregarious personality, she grew up on a farm, overcoming the challenges of a humble upbringing. At a young age, she left high school and set off for Washington, D.C., where her resourcefulness and charisma led to remarkable opportunities. Lynne became one of the first female field engineers in the United States—an extraordinary achievement for that time especially given her lack of formal education. Later, she embraced the role of homemaker while her children were young before returning to work as an executive “headhunter” in Tampa. She concluded her professional career at BB&T. 

Of all her roles, Lynne’s greatest joy and pride came from being a devoted mother and grandmother. She poured her heart into raising her children and cherished her time as “Grammy.” Lynne was her granddaughters’ biggest fan and most enthusiastic playmate. She never missed a milestone, including holding on through her illness to celebrate one last Christmas and her granddaughter’s New Year’s birthday, defying expectations with her determination and love.

Lynne will be remembered as a spunky, chatty, overly loving, joy-filled, kind-hearted person who talked to everyone. She had a knack for turning strangers into lifelong friends, whether in a grocery store checkout line or across the world. Her humor, warmth, and childlike playfulness made her unforgettable. An adventurous traveler, Lynne particularly enjoyed visiting friends in England and Canada, but she was just as happy chatting for hours with her sister or friends from the comfort of home.

Lynne was preceded in death by her mother and stepfather, Nancy and Ross DuBose; her father, John Kingery; her brother, Gary Kingery; and her sister, Karen Hall (Floyd).

She is survived by her son, Andrew Knight (Annie); daughter, Danielle Schill (Tod); her cherished granddaughters, Madison and Taylor Schill; her beloved sister, Bonnie Wade (Ronnie); niece, Nancy Atkins (Rob); nephew, Roger Wade (Christine); great-nieces and nephews; Goddaughter, Jenny Knight-Simpson (Terry Wilcox); her granddogs; and countless dear friends whom she considered family.

A celebration of Lynne’s life will be held on Saturday, January 25, at 3:00 PM at Vinton Church of Christ located at 2107 Feather Rd, Vinton, VA 24179. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to Good Samaritan Hospice (goodsam.care), whose compassionate care supported Lynne in her final months and weeks or to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (pancan.org) to help fund research against the disease that took our dear Lynne.

Lynne’s vibrant spirit and boundless love will be deeply missed but fondly remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing her. To send condolences online please visit tharpfuneralhome.com. Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Roanoke is assisting the family.