Dr. Linda Berniece (Phillips) Knoblock was born August 3, 1943 and peacefully passed into the loving arms of Jesus on April 1, 2015 at the Big Sky Health Care Community following a courageous battle with cancer. She was raised in East Helena, graduated from Helena High School in 1961 and from the University of Montana in 1964. Her first teaching position was in Mullan, Idaho where she met the love of her life, her future spouse Jack Knoblock. Unfortunately Jack was tragically killed when his Air Force jet crashed just a couple years after they were married.
While attending UM Linda relished her college experience. She pledged the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, chaired the student government planning board, was first runner-up in the Miss MSU contest, and marched with the Air Force Angel Flight and the Army K-Dette Corps.
Linda returned to Missoula for the UM’s homecoming for the first time in 1988, and missed only one homecoming after that. She was a consummate supporter of her alma mater, both financially and through service. Linda established two scholarship endowments at the university and served on the Alumni Association’s House of Delegates, the UM Alumni Association Board, the UM Foundation Board of Trustees, and the UM Grizzly Riders. She was a founding member of the Davidson Honors College Advisory Board and remained a member until the time of her death. Linda supported the Davidson Honors College building and the Resource Room is named in her honor. She was a life member of the UM Alumni Association, a Life Loyal member of the Theta sorority, and co-chair of a recent successful capital campaign to refurbish the KAT sorority house.
After receiving her doctorate degree, Linda accepted a teaching position in 1985 at Paradise Valley Community College in Arizona. She taught her first English class off site before the campus was built. In later years she founded the college’s honors program and took an active role in regional and national level honors education. Each year, several of her students had a chance to accompany Linda to the annual honors convocations. Her love of literature and learning provided inspiration for many a student. Linda retired to her beloved state of Montana after teaching at PVCC for 20 years.
Back in her old stomping grounds, Linda purchased one of the beautiful old mansions in Helena, a home that she had first visited as a child when she attended a tea party with her Girl Scout troop. She refurbished the home room by room, filling each with antique furniture that she had collected over the years. Of particular note, she generously opened her home to various charitable organizations for receptions and fundraising events, including the St. Peters Hospital Foundation tea, the Original Governor’s Mansion Christmas Tour, the Helena Symphony, and the UM Foundation.
She was a longtime member of P.E.O. (a philanthropic education organization that supports education
for women) and she was on the Board of Directors for the Helena Symphony. Linda loved the mountains of western Montana and appreciated nature. She was adventurous, enjoyed
hiking with her beloved Samoyeds, and downhill skiing. She worked in Yellowstone Park during college and returned there on a glorious winter snow cat tour shortly after she returned to Helena.
A world traveler, Linda visited every continent. She explored the Galapagos Islands in awe of the blue footed boobie, she lived with the polar bears out on the frozen arctic tundra beside Hudson Bay, and in May she swam with the pink dolphins in the Amazon River and hiked to the Sun Gate at Machu Picchu. Her favorite destination was Antarctica where she visited several times and became so enamored with the penguins that she created a documentary about them while on a sabbatical from PVCC.
Linda was preceded in death by her parents Ramona and George Phillips, her brother Roger Phillips, and her husband Jack Knoblock. She is survived by numerous cousins and a host of friends and sorority sisters who meant the world to her and who will miss her dearly.
A celebration of Linda’s life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, May 1, 2015 at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home, 3750 N. Montana Ave, Helena, MT. A reception will follow the celebration of her life in the social hall of the funeral home. A burial will follow the reception at Forestvale Cemetery, Helena, MT. In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Alpha Nu Education Foundation scholarship established in Linda’s memory (with Linda Knoblock in the memo line) may be made payable and sent to: Alpha Nu Education Foundation, Kappa Alpha Theta, P.O. Box 17006, Missoula, MT 59808. Please feel free to post your memories of Linda that you would like to share.
Service Schedule
Celebration of Her Life
11:00 AM
Friday May 1, 2015
Anderson Stevenson WIlke Funeral Home
3750 North Montana
Helena , Montana 59602
Reception
Following Celebration of Life
Friday May 1, 2015
Social Hall of Anderson Stevenson WIlke Funeral Home
3750 North Montana Ave
Helena, Montana 59602
Burial
Immediately Following Reception
Friday May 1, 2015
Forestvale Cemetery
Helena , Montana 59602
Service Schedule
Celebration of Her Life
11:00 AM
Friday May 1, 2015
Anderson Stevenson WIlke Funeral Home
3750 North Montana
Helena , Montana 59602
Reception
Following Celebration of Life
Friday May 1, 2015
Social Hall of Anderson Stevenson WIlke Funeral Home
3750 North Montana Ave
Helena, Montana 59602
Burial
Immediately Following Reception
Friday May 1, 2015
Forestvale Cemetery
Helena , Montana 59602
tim furshong says
in the brief time i was lucky enough to know linda i met many of her great friends she gave to all of us many things love, support, wisdom, and most of all her smile and that look in her eye to all of her friends who were with her to her end of her time god bless you all and to everyone who helped to find homes for the beasties [as linda called her little friends} thank you from the bottom of my heart tim
very giving she really took friends and life to heart she was a great friend
Les Loble says
I’ve known Linda since we dated in high school. She was an amazing, vivacious woman with a quick, penetrating mind and wonderful sense of humor. Linda, we will miss you.
Shari Copenhaver says
While visiting Linda at Big Sky Health Care, I had the privilege of reading to her some of the many cards that she had received. Her friend Sherry (Paradise Valley) wrote about a game they would play while on an Honor’s trip – “What animal would you be….” Linda said if she had been an animal, she would have chosen to be a whale. Sherry said she was surprised at Linda’s choice until Linda explained that whales are smart, articulate, widely traveled, and sociable. Sherry says – a good choice for Linda as she was all those, plus strong and brave. I couldn’t agree more. Thank you Linda for the blessing of your friendship (and for sharing your Father’s recipe for Lemon Pudding – Yum!)
John Walker says
Dr. Knoblock was a wonderful professor to me when I was enrolled at Paradise Community College (PVCC) in Arizona back in 2000-2002. She was a great motivator and always pushed me to achieve. Thanks in part to her encouragement, I was able to finish my undergraduate degree at Arizona State University paid for by scholastic scholarships. I went on to attend ASU’s law school and have been an attorney since 2007. Dr. Knoblock spoke fondly of Montana and her desire to move there after she retired. I’m so glad she was able to do just that and make the most of her time. She also influenced and inspired my good friend Kurt Stancl and my older sister Nicolle “Nicky” Walker, both of whom attended PVCC.
Kori R. Dee says
Linda was a lovely, gracious, giving and gentle lady we had the pleasure of getting to know during Linda’s time here in Helena. Linda made many contributions to this community, mostly by being here and spreading her knowledge, love and wisdom among her friends. We send prayers and blessings to Linda. We are not able to be at the service tomorrow but will be sending good thoughts to all of her friends. Steve and Kori Dee
Marcee Allen says
Linda was a member of the East Helena United Methodist Church and that’s how I knew her. I did not have the privilege of knowing her well. I loved reading her obituary and learning about the wonderful person she was and the adventures she enjoyed. She was a presence in our church community and one of my fond memories of her is that she would bring pop cans to my Dad to recycle for the church’s benefit. In a quiet way, she touched my heart and I feel blessed by that. I miss seeing her in church. I believe my Mom was among those who welcomed her home at the gates to Heaven. May she rest in eternal love and peace.
Sandi Sandvig Meier says
Dr. Knoblock was our House Mom at the Kappa Alpha Theta Dorm (we did not have Houses ) at Arizona State University back in the 1980’s. She was always a warm, friendly and very poised woman. I had the pleasure of seeing her again in Montana at the Theta functions for the Alpha Nu Chapter at the U of M. My mother is a Theta alumni and was surprised that she remembered me after all these years. Rest in peace Dr. Knoblock you will be missed.