Mary Catherine Knapp

Mary Catherine (McHugh) Knapp of Ridgeview, W.Va., passed away peacefully on June 14, 2024, at CAMC Memorial Division surrounded by family. Mary was predeceased by her parents, Philip and Muriel McHugh, and a sister, Dr. Eileen Levicky.  

Mary is survived by her doting husband, Richard, their children, Drs. Richard W. Knapp, Jr. (Hayley) and Justin E. Knapp (Samantha), both of Charleston, W.Va., and Jeremy R. Knapp of Richmond, Va. Mary loved and enjoyed her grandchildren, Richard (Richie) III, Haley, Cosette, Lena, Lauren, Ethan, Mairin, Carter, Kasey, Stella, and her three furbabies. She is also survived by eight siblings and their spouses and children. 

After primary school, Mary attended Northeastern University in Boston, Ma., and graduated with honors. She met the love of her life at Northeastern in their freshman year and married upon graduation, moved to West Virginia, and bought a farm in Boone County.  

Mary went to work immediately for Boone County Schools Special Education and became the director in 1982. She received her masters degree at the WV College of Graduate Studies and continued her education at Marshall University, where she became a professor of special education while continuing her career in Boone County. She retired in 2023 coinciding with the discovery of her brain tumor.  

She began volunteering for Special Olympics West Virginia at the same time as her professional career began in 1975. 

She became the county coordinator for Special Olympics and watched her athletes garner many awards and honors. She took her athletes to state, national, and international competitions. Mary went to games at Yale University, Notre Dame, the University of Washington, Disney World, Princeton University, and the University of Nebraska to name a few.  

Mary enjoyed traveling around the United States with her family. She visited every state in the continental United States. She swam in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and the Gulf of Mexico. She hiked parts of the Appalachian Trail with Rich and camped out on top of the “old man of the mountain”.  

Mary attended all of her “boys” athletic events and watched basketball, football, and ice skating on TV when the boys weren’t playing. She went to all the Mountaineer Football games for 10 years straight, home and away, when Jeremy and Justin were Mountaineers.  

Mary was known for her kindness, quick wit, dry sense of humor, intelligence in all things, and her devotion to her family, including her Special Olympics family. 

Mary will be deeply missed by all students, teachers, and friends that had the opportunity to learn from, be mentored by, or share a laugh with her. She was truly the greatest wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend, and teacher. She was someone who was always kind to others and was known for her gentle spirit and warm smile.  

A wake will be held at Handley’s Funeral Home in Danville, W.Va., on June 21, 2024, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and a Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in St. Albans, W.Va., on June 22, 2024, at noon. Donations may be made to Special Olympics West Virginia in Mary’s honor.