Kathy Kay McKnight

Kathy Kay McKnight passed away on May 6, 2025, surrounded by the love of her family. She was 70 years old.

Kathy was born in Miles City, Montana, on February 16, 1955, to David Fraser Jr. and Ellen June Fraser. She moved frequently in her early years for her father’s work and was living in Colville, Washington, when her father died unexpectedly. Kathy was just 12 years old. Her older brother, Larry, returned home to help their mother run and eventually sell the family dairy. After that year of transition, Kathy and her mother moved to Sheridan, Wyoming, where June pursued her degree in education—an experience that inspired Kathy’s own future as a teacher. June completed her studies in Spearfish, South Dakota, where Kathy graduated high school—and met the love of her life, Wesley Ernest McKnight.

Kathy and Wes were married on August 13, 1976, in Spearfish SD, shortly after graduating from Black Hills State College (now University), where Kathy earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with a Psychology minor. While in college, Kathy experienced the heartbreaking loss of her mother, June, at just 19 years old. Despite this profound loss, she stayed the course—grounded by her growing partnership with Wes. Years later, she went on to earn a Master of Arts in Leadership and Administration from Gonzaga University.

Kathy and Wes had a remarkable love story that lasted more than 50 years. They complemented one another in every way—Wes, known for his quiet strength and kindness; Kathy, for her resilience, clarity, thoughtfulness, and deep care for others. Together, they built a life rooted in hard work, love, and mutual respect. Whether raising children, managing a ranch, navigating careers in education, or supporting one another through life’s challenges, Kathy and Wes were a remarkable team—strong, capable, and deeply devoted to one another.

After their marriage, they moved to Little Powder Wyoming, where she and Wes taught at Little Powder Elementary School. After two years of teaching in Wyoming, they moved to Canada in 1978, settling on a cattle ranch near Fort St. John BC, where they raised three sons—David Arthur (b. 1977), Justin Wesley (b. 1980), and Brett Fraser (b. 1982)—and began ranching, a vocation they continued for decades. Alongside her life on the ranch, Kathy also built a distinguished career in education. When David reached 2 years old, she took a job teaching third grade at Tailor Elementary School. After just one year at Tailor Elementary, she decided to take a few years to raise her growing family. Kathy would spend the next 6 years at home raising her three boys. She then returned to teaching at Tailor Elementary School. From 1988 until 2018 she taught in the same school district spending most of those years at Charlie Lake Elementary. Between 2006 & 2011, Kathy pursued an opportunity to train new teachers as a Faculty Associate for AHCOTE (through Simon Fraser University), a non-traditional certification program, helping others bring compassion and skill into the classroom. After her retirement, she was called back several times to support high-needs classrooms that could not be staffed, which speaks to her deep compassion and capability. She had a lifelong love of children and especially championed those who needed a little extra help, something that made her an exceptional educator and an even more extraordinary human being. She had a no-nonsense approach to teaching. Her classroom was a place of structure but also of humor, and love. She was the kind of teacher whose class lined up to hug her goodbye at the end of the day.

Kathy endured tremendous loss at a young age—losing both of her parents by 19—and yet built a beautiful life rooted in strength and love. She was the rock of her family, the glue that held everyone together. She gave selflessly, whether it was emotional support, a helping hand, or a handmade quilt. She was thoughtful and incredibly smart, having skipped a grade in school and been asked to skip two—and she passed on her love of learning, resilience, and humor to her children.

She was immensely proud of her sons, who are known for their big hearts and character. Her heart expanded even more when she became a grandmother. She found great joy in the presence of her granddaughters and loved watching them grow.

Kathy is survived by her beloved husband, Wes McKnight; her sons, David (wife Fria Gordo), Justin, and Brett (partner Lois Gardiner); her granddaughters, Grace Ellen Gordo McKnight and Alexa Gwen Gordo McKnight; her brother, Danny Lee Fraser and sister-in-law Jandee May; and many nieces, nephews, extended family, and dear friends.

She was preceded in death by her father, David Fraser, Jr.; her mother, Ellen June Fraser; her brothers, Dennis Harry Fraser (infant) and David “Larry” Fraser.

Kathy will be remembered for her steady love, her strength, her deep well of compassion, and the beautiful life she created with the people she held most dear. If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made to the following charities: Friendship Ministries Canada  https://www.friendshipministries.ca/donate,  River Park Church  https://riverparkchurch.com/give, Canadian Cancer Society  https://cancer.ca/en. 

Messages and Memories

We would be thrilled for you to contribute to Kathy's Collaborative Memorial Slides. Please add your messages and pictures if you have them. See the link below. 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/160epHEu5_LpF74ZEpJi3v77fHrxB0f_df0zcJNYBxG0/edit?usp=sharing