Tanya Adams Knight

Tanya (Adams) Knight, 79, formerly of Battle Creek died at Ebeid Hospice Residence in Sylvania, Ohio on Friday, May 31, 2013.

Tanya was born at her grandparent's home in Amarillo, Texas on July 10, 1933 to Roy and Nida (Martin) Adams. Both parents were newspaper people as were uncles on both the Adams and Martin side. Her father Roy and Uncle Ward Adams worked for the Battle Creek Enquirer for many years and her mother and maternal uncle worked on newspapers in the Southwest. After living her early years in Brooklyn, NY, the family moved permanently to the south shore of Fine Lake in 1939.

Tanya was a 1951 graduate of the W.K. Kellogg Agricultural School at Hickory Corners and Michigan State University in 1955. Upon graduating Tanya went to work for Michigan National Bank working at the Branch site for 5 years. After raising her family, Tanya went to work for the Bookmobile Dept. of the Kalamazoo Public Library in 1978 and began attending Western Michigan University's School of Library Science, where she earned her Masters of Library Science in 1983. She continued to work in the Bookmobile Department until her retirement in July of 1998. She later worked part time for the Helen Warner Branch Library in Lakeview for two years.

She is survived by a daughter, Shane (Ron) Stiemsma of Temperance, MI; a son Brad (Maria Tolf) Knight of East Leroy, MI; four grandchildren, Josh (Erin) Stiemsma, Steffanie (Brian) Good, Joel Knight and Dana Knight; two great-granddaughters, Kaylee and Jenna Stiemsma; and a brother, Eric (Sally) Adams, formerly of Fine Lake. Tanya was formerly married to Robert Knight. Tanya was preceded in death by her parents and a half-sister, Gale Hanlan.

Tanya loved to travel, watch sporting events- especially MSU, and was a prolific reader. She volunteered with the Lakeview Hot Lunch Program and was a Campfire Leader. She was affiliated with the American Assoc. of University Women; The MSU Women's Alumni group; the HOST program and was a volunteer at Binder Park Zoo. She played bridge with the same group of women for over 40 years and went on numerous trips and spent time at Lake Michigan with her wonderful friends. Her favorite activities in later years was to follow her four grandchildren in the events in which they participated and spending time with her family.

Friends may call after 2:00 p.m. Wednesday at the Farley-Estes & Dowdle Funeral Home where they will be received 2:00-4:00 p.m. & 6:00-8:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at the funeral home 10:00 a.m. Thursday, June 6, 2013. Interment will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to ProMedica Hospice, 5340 Harroun Rd., Sylvania, OH 43560 or Alzheimer's Association, 350 E. Michigan Avenue, Suite 20, Kalamazoo, MI 49007. Personal messages for the family may be placed here at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.