Wyllye Evelyn Knott

Wyllye Billie Evelyn Knott, age 90, passed away on February 20, 2016, at the VA Hospital in Omaha, Neb. She was born in Linden, North Carolina to the late John and Mary Margaret (Porter) Wood on October 30, 1925. She was the youngest daughter in a family of eight girls and three boys and she was the last surviving member. Billie was proud of her southern upbringing as well as being able to serve her country. She volunteered as a hostess at the USO at Fort Bragg, N.C., and cooked breakfast at the YMCA for those in the military prior to taking nurses training at Highsmith Hospital in Fayetteville. Billie worked at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Fayetteville as an Army Cadet Corps nurse while in Inactive Reserves, she was called to active duty during the Korean War and assigned to the hospital at Camp Atterbury in Indiana where soldiers injured in Korea were brought to receive medical care. Billie served as a lieutenant in the Army as a nurse when she met her husband, Dr. Norman Knott, at Fort Knox, Kentucky where they were both stationed. Norman was serving as an Army Captain and a dentist. They were married in Kentucky in 1956. Once out of the service, the couple moved to Normans hometown of Council Bluffs. Norman practiced dentistry for 41 years in Council Bluffs until his retirement in 1998. Billie enjoyed her years as a volunteer, serving at Jennie Edmundson Hospital for 38 years, the local Red Cross for over 20 years and the Union Pacific Museum in the old Carnegie Library. She founded the Ministry for Mentally Handicapped over 25 years ago. Norman and Billie were married for 52 years before Normans death on January 16, 2009. Billie is survived by her children, Cindy Seaman, Mary Ann Knott and Norman Knott Jr., all of Council Bluffs; grandchildren, Andrew Seaman (Sarah), of Omaha, Lauren Seaman and fiance Clint Weddle, of Indianapolis and Matthew Seaman; great grandchildren, Micah and Ezra Seaman. Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m., on Wednesday, February 24, 2016, at the Hoy-Kilnoski Funeral Home. Funeral Service Thursday, February 25, 2016, at 10:30 a.m., also at the funeral home with a reception to follow the service. Interment, Cedar Lawn Cemetery, with military honors by American Legion Post #2. Memorials are suggested to VODEC, EQ School of Hair design, Union Pacific Museum, Jennie Edmundson Hospital, all of Council Bluffs and the VA Hospital of Omaha.