Mary Knott

Mary Lea Knott, 62, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Jackson, passed away Friday, Nov. 15, 2019, at Saint Francis Medical Center as a result of complications from early childhood Hodgkin's disease.

She was born May 1, 1957, in Bellingham, Washington, to Thomas and Maxine Rexford Buford. She and Thomas M. Knott were married Dec. 23, 1983.

At the age of 12, Mary was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease and underwent treatments at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. St. Jude became a special place to her, and through the years she participated in St. Jude Life, which is a study where long-term childhood cancer survivors return to St. Jude for regular health screenings throughout their adult lives. The unique findings from St. Jude Life are helping many other survivors learn more about their individual health needs while providing insight for future treatments.

Mary was a graduate of Ellington (Missouri) High School. In 1983, she graduated from Southeast Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science in management. She then worked 30 years at Procter & Gamble, retiring in 2013.

Mary enjoyed reading, working crossword puzzles and a was a lover of dogs. She will be missed by her special Yorkie friend, Simon.

Loving survivors include her husband of 36 years, Tom Knott; six brothers and two sisters; 26 nieces and nephews; 38 great-nieces and -nephews; and several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

A memorial visitation will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson.

Memorials may take the form of contributions to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.