Linda Florence Knapp

Formerly of Wilkinsburg, age 84, passed away at home in North Versailles on Thursday, June 11, 2026.

Linda was born in Cleveland, Ohio on January 14, 1942 to Virginia Fries and Frank Holland. She was the eldest of three, her siblings being the late John Holland and Patricia Holland. She spent her formative years in Cleveland Heights, Ohio and Detroit, Michigan. After high school, she studied at Miami University in Ohio and, later studied office management and administration in Cleveland. In 1963 she moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and worked at US Steel performing clerical work, office administration, advertising and human resource work.  

During this time, Linda joined a singing group where she met her future husband, William "Bill" Knapp. While their love of music brought them together, their faith in the Lord was their bond, and this led to decades of ministry through music. They wed on July 9, 1966 and became a musical force of nature for the Lord. Linda gave her resignation at US Steel when she was pregnant with Michael. 

When Michael was 2 years old, they moved to Wilkinsburg. In addition to being a mother Linda became a full time caregiver to Thelma Leonard, a tenor in their church choir. Thelma was like an adopted grandmother to Michael and became known as "Nana." After several years, Nana moved into independent living, and Linda became pregnant with Julie.

After being a stay-at-home Mom for a number of years, she tried her hand at arranging flowers at a floral shop, which was an outlet for her artistic side, before moving on to teach music to children at Greater Works Academy for several years. It was then that her dear friend, Eileen Burdock, was leaving a vacancy as director at Mulberry Senior Citizens Center in Wilkinsburg. Linda filled the position and the next 20 years would be spent serving seniors and community at large in Wilkinsburg. She served this community with Christ in her heart and her mind, offering ministry, prayer, communion, and community support to whoever might be in need.  She met many more who would serve the community alongside her through the senior center or the church. 

She and Bill formed a trio called The Sounds of Joy with Derek Schofield - organist and longtime collaborator who met at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church where Bill had been choir director and Linda had directed the children’s choir for many years. In any spare time they performed at weddings, funerals, and elder homes. 

After leaving Mulberry in 2007, she obtained part time work for a home care agency until retiring and moving to Michigan to be closer to Bill's side of the family. She became Bill’s caregiver for years with help from Bill's children, before Julie and her fiancé Tim moved to Petoskey to help in 2022. After she lost Bill to Parkinson's Disease on the March 7, 2023, she spent time recovering. In late 2025, she moved back to Pittsburgh to be closer to her sister and more accessible to her son and his family, as well as to medical care. 

Complications from a fall on May 30, 2026 (Bill’s birthday) contributed to her declining health, and she passed away on the 11th of June, 2026 holding her daughter Julie’s hand.

She is survived by her children, Mike and Julie; her grandchildren, Chloe and Julia; her sister, Patricia, and Patricia's children, Will, Arielle, and Ryan; her sister-in-law, Maria, and children Franky, David, and Marilyn. She is also survived by Bill's siblings, Peter, Martha, Mary, and Leonard; and his children - her step-children - Teresa, William, Diana Lynn, and Mark, along with many loving grandchildren, great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren and their families. 

There is singing in heaven tonight.

Friends will be received at Wolfe Memorial, LLC, Forest Hills Chapel, 3600 Greensburg Pike, Pittsburgh PA 15221, on Friday, June 19, from 2:00pm until the time of the memorial service at 3:00pm, with The Rev. Peggy Means officiating. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Linda's favorite local cause: Rosedale Food Pantry, 5501 Third Street, Verona PA 15147, www.rosedalefoodpantry.org/donate

To join the memorial service remotely via Zoom, use this link: https://us05web.zoom.us/j/85243873647?pwd=eS9bVV9jmRgP4VKdklaFNdqCcPaRFD.1

Meeting ID: 852 4387 3647
Passcode: 468630

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