Delores Marie “Lola” McKnight, age 73, formerly of Atchison, entered into the heavens on Saturday, February 26, 2022 at Providence Medical Center, Kansas City, KS after a short illness. She was born on May 11, 1948, in Emporia, Kansas to Pete and Mary (Rodriguez) Gutierrez. She attended Sacred Heart Elementary and graduated from Emporia High School.

Lola married the love of her life, Lloyd Wayne McKnight, Sr. on August 2, 1969, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Emporia. They shared six beautiful children, Billie Jo White (Jason) of Kansas City, KS; Lloyd McKnight, Jr. (Carmen) of Atchison; Raymond “Eddie” McKnight (Christina) of Denton; Maria Flores Schmelzle (Joe) of Lancasters; Angie Giron (Yovany) of Edwardsville; Nicole Miller (Dean) of Eureka; and many acquired bonus children through the years who called her mom. Lola has five brothers, Christopher Gutierrez (Catalina) of Topeka; Lawrence Gutierrez (Bernadette) of Emporia; Peter Gutierrez of Olathe; Walter Gutierrez of Emporia; Arthur Gutierrez (Terry) of Emporia; She has twenty-four grandchildren, three great grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her in-laws, Duane “Mac” and Gladys McKnight and her husband, Lloyd McKnight, Sr.

Lola served as a nurse, working at different facilities until becoming a homemaker to raise and spend time with her family. Lola was full of life, she would always find the humor in every situation and enjoyed cracking jokes. She loved travelling with her children and made so many precious memories with them.

Mass of Christian burial will be Monday, March 7, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph Church in Atchison. Interment will follow at Leavenworth National Cemetery at 12:30 p.m. Parish rosary will be Sunday, March 6th at 5 p.m. at Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home with visitation to follow until 6:30. Memorial contributions are suggested to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or St. Benedict Parish and may be left in care of the Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home with whom care has been entrusted.