Janet Barbara Herendeen Knapp was born July 15, 1932 in Naples, NY to John and Florence Herendeen. She met her husband, Maurice Knapp, at Phelps High School in Phelps, New York. They were married on June 28, 1953, also in Phelps. They moved to El Paso (Fort Bliss) while Maurice was serving in the Army. Their only child, Darryl Paul Knapp, was born on May 23, 1954 in El Paso. They moved to Midland in 2010 to be near their son. Maurice died on April 1, 2015.Janet graduated from Rochester Business Institute; her first job was with Geneva General Hospital in the X-ray department. On the eve of their wedding Maurice drove from the southeastern United States, where he was stationed, all the way to Phelps arriving around 6:00 am on their wedding day. He took a short nap, and they were married that afternoon. She moved with him to his new post at Fort Bliss. They moved back to New York when Maurice left the service, but were too fond of the Texas winters and moved back to El Paso, bringing a trailer home with them. The trip was not only long, it was bureaucratic, as they needed a permit to move the trailer in every state they traveled through. After her son was born, she stayed home to raise him. She later returned to work as an executive secretary in the oil and gas industry.Janet loved to bake and made homemade bread and cinnamon rolls before the age of bread machines. She taught her son to cook and to love good coffee. She read voraciously and was especially fond of mysteries. Stuart Woods and David Baldacci have lost one of their biggest fans. Janet was an enthusiastic gardener; at one house she and her husband maintained an orchard. She loved roses, geraniums, irises and petunias. She and her husband also liked to visit casinos where she was fearless and lucky at the dollar slots.Janet was preceded in death by her husband and her brother Warren Herendeen. She is survived by her son, Darryl and his husband Scot Marter, and her sister, June Geis.The family would like to express their gratitude to Midland Memorial Hospital Staff, Hospice of Midland, St. Nicholas’ Parish, and Luisa de la Pena.Graveside services will be at 9:00 am, Thursday, June 28, 2018 at Resthaven Memorial Park, with The Rev. Nancy Springer, officiating, and The Rev. Rick Lopez, assisting.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Nicholas’ Episcopal Church Memorial Fund, 4000 W Loop 250 N, Midland, TX, 79707.Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley- Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Midland. Online condolences may be made at www.npwelch.com.,
