Fiercely interested, opinionated and independent, Mrs. Knuckley embraced the opportunities put in front of her by her father, an immigrant to this country who famously worked as a traveling salesman before setting up a permanent shop in Wendell.

Mrs. Knuckley, who became the driving force behind her father's story - Kannon's - was a booster for the town, but she was not above letting town leaders know when they were headed down a rabbit trail.

Late in her life, confined to a wheelchair, she still attended town board meetings on occasion when an issue of importance arose.

She was steadfast in her faith and we can't help but believe one of the most rewarding moments in her life came just recently when she saw the ground broken for a new sanctuary at St. Eugene Catholic Church.

But her greatest contribution to Wendell came through her business. Unlike so many mom and pop stores, Kannon's has survived the turning of the generations, in no small measure because Mrs. Knuckley developed a fierce loyalty among her children for the mission of that business and a healthy respect for customer service.

That kind of can-do attitude has sustained many businesses and Kannon's is likely to long be a major part of Jeanette Knuckley's legacy in Wendell.

She set an example in boosterism for generations of business people behind her and we see that exhibited not only through her children and their business, but in other long-term businesses in town that have thrived because people paid attention to detail in much the way Mrs. Knuckley did.

Wendell is better off for her having been a part of the fabric of the town.