Mary Knoll

Mary Knoll, 97, passed away on October 31, 2024, at CHI St. Alexius in Bismarck. 

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 AM on Thursday, November 7, 2024, at Church of Corpus Christi in Bismarck, with Monsignor Patrick Schumacher celebrating. Burial will follow the luncheon at 12:45 PM at Mandan Union Cemetery. 

Visitation will be held from 5-7 PM on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, at Weigel Funeral Home in Mandan, and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday. 

Mary was born November 15, 1926, in Crown Butte, west of Mandan, to Liberatus and Margaret (Steckler) Zander. She was raised and educated in Crown Butte, attending country school through the eighth grade. On October 8, 1946, she married Michael J. Knoll at St. Vincent Catholic Church in Crown Butte. They farmed in the Mandan and Judson area until moving into Mandan in 1952. Mary lovingly raised their four children and then worked as a CNA at Missouri Slope Care Center until retiring. Restless in this thing called retirement, Mary became a nanny and enjoyed caring for two children for the next twelve years. A talented green thumb, Mary was an avid gardener all of her life. She enjoyed growing vegetables, canning her harvest, and was famous for her dill pickles. Mary was also a fantastic cook and baker, always trying new recipes and would make huge batches of cookies to fill several ice cream pails to share at family gatherings and camping trips and made wonderful German dishes. She enjoyed sewing and embroidery in her younger years and liked interior and exterior painting and staining woodwork. Mary loved camping, fishing, and traveling. She looked forward to MN Twins games and loved ballpark brats. She and Michael looked forward to family weddings and anniversary parties and loved to dance. They were members of a Pinochle club with family and friends. Above all, Mary loved spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She was warm and friendly and loved to visit and reminisce. Mary was generous and giving of her time and talents which included a lifetime of service to others including being one of the first volunteers with Meals on Wheels. 

Blessed to have shared in her life are her children, Timothy (Renee) Knoll, Mountain Home, AR, Cynthia Knoll, Bismarck, and Danny Knoll, Tucson, AZ; daughter-in-law, Sharon Knoll, Reedley, CA; grandchildren, Crystal Barajas, Brandy (Jason) Chavez, Reedley, CA, Heather (Scott) LaCoe and Matthew (Allison) Grenz, all of Bismarck, Christopher Knoll and Patricia Knoll-Litzinger, both of Grand Forks, Mona (Dennis) Peracca, Visalia, CA, and Virginia (Joe) Quistorff, Fresno, CA; great grandchildren, Corey, Brittany, Kaylee, Evan, Megan, Brandon, Jordan, Madison, Courtney, Tristan, Sierra, Jadon, Charlotte, Dillon, Troy, Benjamin, Zachary, and Everly; great-great grandchildren, William and Olivia; as well as her sister, Kathleen (John) Brilz, San Pablo, CA.

Mary was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 65 years, Michael, in 2012; son, David T. Knoll, in 2023; her parents; and siblings, Monica (Anton) Yantzer, Helen (Joseph) Doll, Liberatus Jr. (Mary) Zander, Richard (Beatrice) Zander, Theodore Zander, and James Zander.

To view the Funeral Mass livestream go to Corpus Christi's You Tube page.