Thelma McKnight Abbott

Thelma McKnight Abbott, 95, a homemaker, of Las Vegas, passed away peacefully sleeping March 23, 2010. She was born Jan. 25, 1915, to Martha Minerva Leavitt McKnight and William Clark McKnight, in Beaver Dam, Mohave, Ariz., and was a 60year resident of Nevada. She had two brothers, Carl and Lynn and followed by six more siblings, Mabel, Nina, Jennie, Richard Dick, Orson and Betty. She attended school in Virgin Valley. Thelmas last child Cynthia Cindy was born with downs syndrome. Cindy and Thelma were inseparable. Thelma was instrumental in coercing CCSD to allocate money to build the Helen J. Stewart School for handicapped and mentally challenged people. Thelma was a resident of Southern Nevada since 1927, when she boarded with relatives to attend grade seven in Mesquite. She was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, serving many times in the leadership of Relief Society and Young Women Organization in the ward and stake level. At the death of her second husband, she served a mission for the church to Arcadia, Calif. She served in the Las Vegas Temple from its opening until she was 92. She also worked in the genealogy extraction program for many years. Thelma had three passions: her church, her family and work especially gardening. In her mind, there was no separation of the three. We miss her already. Thelma was preceded in death by her first husband, Rulon Sidney Abbott second husband, Phillip Alma Abbott parents siblings, Carl, Lynn, Nina, Jennie and Orson soninlaw, Gene Cahoon grandson, Keith Sheldon Abbott and greatgrandchildren, Sheena Truscott, William Vincent Jueschke, Sierra Jones and Michael Stout. She is survived by her children, Sheldon Velene, Gwen Carroll Truscott, Kathryn Vincent Leavitt, Garth Diana, Cindy, Lynn Kristine, Julia Rod Campbell, Joyce William Sansing and Phyllis Wynn Stout 50 grandchildren 161 greatgrandchildren and 18 greatgreatgrandchildren brother Dick sisters, Mabel and Betty and many nieces and nephews. Visitation will be 6:308:30 p.m. Friday, March 26, at the LDS Tropicana Chapel Relief Society Room, 2275 E. Tropicana Ave. Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 27, at the LDS Church Viking Chapel, 3901 E. Viking Road.

Visitation

The Church of Jesus Christ of LatterDay Saints
2275 East Tropicana Ave. Tropicana Ward Building
Las Vegas, NV  89119
Friday, March 26, 2010
6:30 P.M. to 8:30 P.M.

Service

Funeral Service

The Church of Jesus Christ of LatterDay Saints
3901 East Viking Rd. Viking Ward Building
Las Vegas, NV  89119
Saturday, March 27, 2010
10:00 A.M.

Cemetery

City of Mesquite Cemetery
Mesquite Blvd.
Mesquite, NV  89027