M. Diane McKnight, 78, of Belleville, Ill., born September 26, 1944, in Abbeville, S.C., passed away October 16, 2022. The oldest of five children, Diane grew up in Calhoun Falls, and later in Greenville, S.C., and attended Lake Superior State College in Michigan. She worked as a Work Controller in the Civil Engineering Office at Kinchloe, Air Force Base, Mich. in 1974. She left Kinchloe after the base closed and went to Baudette, Air Station, Minn. as the Assistant Fire Chief. When Baudette closed in 1979, she was hired as Supervisor of the Accounts Payable Branch of the Accounting and Finance Office at Duluth Air Force Base. She moved to Belleville in 1988 where she worked with the Belleville Development Training Center (DTC) and was the St. Clair Associated Vocational Enterprise (S.A.V.E.) office manager until retiring in 2003. She enjoyed decoupage and knitting and was a fantastic cook. As a young child, Diane accepted the Lord with childlike faith, but she became a born-again, spirit-filled believer in 1982. She studied the Judeo-Christian text faithfully and knew and understood the biblical scriptures in a spiritual context. She taught Sunday School and sang in the choir at the Air Force Chapel and in the local church. She loved the Lord and had an insatiable desire to learn more about Jesus and His promises. She was faithful to the end. God called her home because He needed another angel in the heavenly chorus. She was preceded in death by her parents James and Dorothy, nee Cooper, Smith; and parents-in-law John H. McKnight, Sr., and Julia, nee Judge McKnight. Surviving are her husband of 42 years John H. McKnight, Jr., of O'Fallon, Ill., daughter Melanie Anderson of Asheville, N.C., grandson Brooklyn David Anderson, and siblings Anthony "Tony" Smith, Gloria, nee Smith, Rose, Sylvia, nee Smith, Crouse, and Cooper Smith; siblings-in-law Patricia, nee McKnight, Ashley, Lamar McKnight, Carolyn, nee McKnight, Fredd, and Michelle, nee McKnight, Haughton. Memorial donations may be made to the Christian Activity Center. A public viewing will be held on Saturday, October 29, 2022 at 1:00 pm at The McDougald Funeral Home with the funeral service beginning at 1:30 pm with Rev. Ron Underwood officiating. Burial will follow at New Silver Brook Cemetery. Events Viewing Saturday, October 29, 2022 1:00PM - 1:30PM The McDougald Funeral Home 2211 North Main Street Anderson, SC 29621 Email: Gail@mcdougaldfuneralhome.com,laurel@mcdougaldfuneralhome.com Phone: (864) 224-4343 Funeral Service Saturday, October 29, 2022 1:30PM The McDougald Funeral Home 2211 North Main Street Anderson, SC 29621 Email: Gail@mcdougaldfuneralhome.com,laurel@mcdougaldfuneralhome.com Phone: (864) 224-4343 Final Resting Place New Silver Brook Cemetery 440 E. Shockley Ferry Road Anderson, SC 29624