Sally Ann Knowles, 85, of Mission, Texas, formerly of Athens, Michigan, passed away peacefully Saturday, May 9, 2026 at her home in Texas under hospice care.
In keeping with Sally’s wishes, she will be cremated and memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, May 29, 2026 at Lighthouse Funeral & Cremation, 1276 Tate Trail, Union City, MI. Pastor Paul Metzger of Jamestown Church will officiate.
Visitation will be held prior to the service Friday beginning at 11:00 a.m., also at the Lighthouse.
Sally will be laid to rest privately at East Gilead Cemetery in Bronson, alongside her first husband.
The family is being served by Lighthouse Funeral & Cremation in Union City.
Sally was born March 21, 1941 in Coldwater, Michigan to William H. and Grace (Van Akin) Burns. She graduated from Coldwater High School in 1959.
July 6, 1961, she married Robert H. Heckman of Coldwater. The couple made their home in Battle Creek for a short time and then Athens. They wintered in Mission, Texas together for many years. They had one son and were married for nearly 43 years. Robert preceded her in death May 17, 2004.
Sally spent most of her life in Athens and devoted over 50 years to a career at Allen-Harmon-Mason-Selinger Insurance in Battle Creek.
She was married to Curtis “Curt” Knowles April 8, 2008.
Sally was very involved in the Athens community. She volunteered with the Athens Booster Club and the Summer Homecoming Committee. She attended the Sherwood Free Methodist Church.
She and Curt loved watching their grandchildren play sports together and they were avid MSU sports fans. She and Curt also enjoyed riding in his antique cars and going out to dinner with old friends. Curt preceded her in death May 27, 2014. Sally continued to travel to Mission, Texas in the winter after Curt died and in 2023, she made Texas her permanent home.
Sally is survived by her son, Scott (Marcene) Heckman of Coldwater; her granddaughters, Rochelle (Jimmy) Vanover of Union City and Neely (Samuel) Byrne of Fort Wayne, Indiana; and two great-grandchildren, Odin and Kenzie; her siblings, Michael (Kendra) Burns of Coldwater and Susan (Jack) Brown of Angola, Indiana; many nieces and nephews; and a dear cousin, Dolores (Roberto) Schiller of Chicago, Illinois; her stepchildren, Lucy Lamson, Sara (Jeff) Stanton, and John (Jennifer) Knowles, all of the Athens area, Jeffrey “Hawk” Heckman of Anchorage, AK; and ten step-grandchildren: Jessie (Mark) Thrasher, Josie (Jackson) Ling, Luke (Jaiden) Lamson, Siana (Adam) Bollman, Toren (Makenzie) Stanton, Damon (Julia) Knowles, Keleigh Knowles, Brian Heckman, Darrell Heckman, and Martin McRae.
In addition to her husbands, Sally was preceded in death by her parents; William and Grace Burns; sister and brother-in-law, Vicky (William) Pifer of Coldwater; her niece Lindsey Rockwell; her stepchildren Gary Heckman and Barbara McRae; and her beloved dogs, Abby and Chloe.
Memorial contributions may be directed to the Athens Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 205, Athens, MI 49011, for the Curtis Knowles Scholarship Fund.
Please visit www.lighthousefuneral.com to share memories, pictures and videos with the family.
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