JoAnne Mary McKnight

On Sunday, February 5th, 2023 our beloved JoAnne Mary McKnight passed in her sleep. An alumna of Howard University Class of 1970, she studied under tutelage and mentorship of professor and poet Owen Dodson, and earned a BFA in playwriting. She produced many plays and is a self-published author of three novels that make up the Corvidian Trilogy: I Battleground, II Expeditions, III Victory. While writing was undeniably one of the loves of her life, family was the other. 

JoAnne leaves behind her loving daughter, Victoria, and four adoring grandchildren -- Amyah, Kenayshia, Ausar "Champ", and Khepri; her 7 siblings and multiple in-laws, as well as 29 nephews and nieces (whom she loved to pieces), including in-laws and great nephews and nieces. JoAnne joins our ancestors, her parents Dr. Herbert Vincent McKnight and Alma Mae (Mitchell) McKnight, as well as her sister Leslie Ann McKnight Yates. 

Her homegoing service will be on Saturday 18th. Family Visitation will begin at 1:00 pm, and the service will begin at 2:00 pm. Information on the livestream will be made available on Victoria Pate's facebook page on Saturday (https://www.facebook.com/V8a8y).

If you would like to send flowers, please send them to Greater Bethel AME Church, 5232 The Plaza, Charlotte, NC 28216 to arrive on Saturday, February 18th at noon. 

JoAnne’s family is still working to establish a memorial fund, which will be used to honor JoAnne in two institutions of higher education that meant a great deal to her, Howard University and Wylie College. Updated information regarding this will be provided soon. Thank you for your support. 

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