Elizabeth (Betty) Knox, Age 95, Passed Away Peacefully at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La

Elizabeth Louise Knox

Elizabeth (Betty) Knox, age 95, passed away peacefully at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, California, surrounded by her family on Saturday, July 15, 2017. She was born on January 9, 1922 in Forest Hills, New York to Frederick C. and Emma (Grauerholtz) Wissel, and was the youngest of four children.

Betty attended Hunter College in New York and worked as a model for R.H. Macy & Company in New York City. She moved to the seaside community of La Jolla in 1951, and married James Henry Knox of East Aurora, New York in August 1956. From then on, she embarked on a life filled with travelling the world with her beloved husband and family. Although no destination was too far away, their favorite retreat was always the legendary Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Honolulu.

Betty’s dedication to philanthropy was guided by her asking “Are we being good ancestors?” She served as the president of the Board of Trustees of The Bishop’s School in La Jolla, and was also a member of the Board of Trustees at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, where she was honored with the Jonas Salk Award of Congress for her service. Her special interests included professional tennis, horse racing, and watching her daughters compete in horse shows. Betty’s elegant, generous and gracious manner endeared her to family and friends. She will be greatly missed.

She is survived by her son Ted Haas, daughters Julie and Alice, granddaughter Sarah Knox Haas, and nieces Dr. Judith (George) Farr, and Rosalind Johnston. Betty was preceded in death by her sisters Frances, Emma, and Florence, and her husband, James Knox.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, July 27 at Baker Memorial Methodist Church in East Aurora, New York. Burial will follow at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo. A Celebration of Life service will be held in La Jolla in the coming months.