Laura Jane Knaebel

It is with great sadness that the family of Laura Jane Knaebel (nee Smith), loving wife and mother of five, announces her passing on September 11th, 2020, in Silver Spring, Maryland. She was born in Mobile, Alabama on September 25, 1958 to Wanita Chester Smith and William Patrick Smith, and grew up in Fort Thomas, Kentucky with her two younger brothers, Gary and David Smith.  

Laura was committed wholly to her family, her friends and her faith. She loved literature and spent much of her time reading and writing. She regularly wrote in her journal and was researching and preparing to write a historical fiction book series. Laura also enjoyed cooking, gardening and teaching. She was her children’s greatest cheerleader in all that they pursued. She was also a huge Alabama fan, roll tide! One of Laura’s greatest gifts was a love of music, which she instilled in her children at a young age. Her home would often be filled with the sound of piano music as she practiced classical pieces and hymns. 

Though born in the South, Laura lived in various parts of the country for much of her adult life, including northern Kentucky, the Pacific Northwest and Upstate New York. More recently, she called the D.C. area her home. 

Laura graduated magna cum laude from Syracuse University with a master’s degree in English Textual Studies. She enthusiastically applied her knowledge to all of her teaching endeavors where she strove to not only teach, but share her passion of literature and language and her love of life with her students.

She loved traveling to see her children and grandchildren. Laura is remembered for her tender touch and great back scratches, infectious laugh and love and the relationship she had with her Heavenly Father. 

Laura is survived by her husband, Dave Knaebel, and her sons, Brigham Huish and wife Shelby, Jared Huish and wife Jessica, Seth Huish and wife Lindsey, Levi Huish, and daughter Victoria Dobson and husband Zachary and her 12 grandchildren: Calhoun, Hannah, Samuel, Grace, Ryder, Bear, Andrew, Jacob, Raegan, Jane, Kate and Josephine. In addition, she is survived by her brothers, Gary Smith and wife Beatriz and David Smith, and their children, and her stepchildren, Kristin Oegema and husband Bart and Michael Knaebel and wife Debbie, and their children. 

Her parents, Wanita Chester Smith and William Patrick Smith, preceded her in death and greeted her with open arms. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Laura’s name to a charity of choice. For those with a special memory of their time with Laura, the family invites you to share that on the Tribute Wall on this site.

An outside visitation will be held on Saturday, September 19th from 10:00-11:00am at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints located at 500 Randolph Road, Silver Spring, Maryland 20904 followed by a funeral service, which will be broadcast via Zoom at 1pm EST (details below). If you would like to share a reflection during or after the service, the family welcomes those on this site as well.

An additional visitation will be held on Monday, September 21st from 10:30am-12:30pm at Dobbling Funeral Home located at 106 North Fort Thomas Avenue, Fort Thomas, Kentucky 41075. She will be laid to rest in the Evergreen Cemetery. 

Zoom Webinar ID : 822 5160 8040

Please join the broadcast on one device per household to allow as many attendees as possible. Following the broadcast, a recording will be made available.  Please reach out to her daughter via email at vhuishdobson@gmail.com to request the recording.