Ruth "Beth" McKnight

Ruth E. (Beth) McKnight was born Ruth E. Clifton to Eldon and Lorraine (nee Henderson) Clifton on November 2, 1942 in Exeter, California. She married Darryl Cyr and they had two children, Duane (Hank) Cyr and Donna Marie Cyr. Over the years, Beth lived in several cities in southern California and had many stories about her jobs and adventures. She worked at a Ghiradelli chocolate company and started her first few days packing chocolate candy. She ate many chocolate candies while attempting to keep up with the conveyor belt. On another occasion she fell into a cardboard box while packing ten pound chocolate bars. Unable to get out of the box, nor able to reach the buzzer to shut down the packing line, Beth had to stay in the box until she got the attention of a fork lift driver. In later years, Beth secured work as a quality control inspector at Hughes Aircraft Company in Carlsbad, California. It was there that she met her best friend, Gayle Rae. They frequently drove to Las Vegas, Nevada to spend ten dollars on slot machines and most of their time dancing and talking. One evening after a casino lounge comedian had finished his show, Beth and Gayle drank coffee and told stories. Gayle noticed that all eyes and ears in the lounge were on Beth. Beth looked around and told everyone that she was having a private conversation, when one man informed her that her stories were much better than the comedian’s jokes. She and Gayle took a trip to Anchorage, Alaska to visit her stepfather C L Rayburn and her mother, Lorraine. While there she met Tom McKnight and they began corresponding. On March 1, 1991, Beth and Tom were married in St Louis, Misouri. Beth worked as a quality control inspector of electronic cable assemblies for Buse Industries until her retirement in 2004. In earlier years Beth loved to read mysteries, historical novels, and biographies, and often listened to audio books while inspecting cable assemblies. In her later years she spent most of her time watching complete series of shows on Netflix. Her favorite song was “Hallelujah” as sung by K.d. Lang. Beth and her husband moved to Thornton, Colorado, in April of 2015. Beth’s stepdaughter, Dawn McKnight, made the move to Colorado very comfortable for Beth. Dawn painted Beth’s bedroom in Beth’s favorite shade of burgundy, renovated a bathroom to make it accessible, and installed a wall mounted television so that Beth would never miss her favorite shows. Dawn was always at Beth’s side whenever a crisis arose. Beth was very happy about the move and very happy with the care she received from the staff at St. Anthony North and from Griswold Home Care. On her first day of helping Beth, Inga Thomasino made breakfast for Beth and then they talked for two hours. It was what Beth wanted to do. Beth’s family is happy that Inga and Beth got along so well in her final days. Beth was predeceased by her stepfather, mother, father, and sister Helene. She leaves daughter Donna Marie Cyr of Las Vegas, Nevada, and son Duane Cyr of Woodland, California and his children, Courtney and Michael, sisters Judy Steward of Phoenix, Arizona, Carolyn (Tom) Umble of Paradise, California, and Marilyn (Frank) Silva of Vacaville, California. Besides her husband Thomas McKnight, she leaves stepson Thomas (Stephanie) of Hood River, Oregon, and their children Connor, Mieka and Rowan, stepdaughter Dawn McKnight of Thornton, Colorado, stepdaughter Barbara (Brian) Poole of Belleville, Illinois, and their children Cody and Darby, and stepson Timothy (Liz) McKnight of Denver, Colorado, and their son, Colin. She also leaves many loving nephews and nieces.