Obituary of Rebecca Knowles

Rebecca "Becky" Brandon Knowles passed away from complications from Alzheimer’s disease on October 08, 2024 at her home in Pittsboro.

Becky was born April 11, 1946 in Durham, North Carolina. She was the oldest daughter of four children born to Francis Arnold Brandon and Lois Irene McDuffie Brandon. She graduated from Southern High School in Durham, NC in 1964 and was the first woman in her family to graduate from college (Wake Forest University, 1968). She married Donald Knowles shortly after college and then spent the next three decades working as a certified public accountant and an internal revenue agent for the Internal Revenue Service in Washington DC, Virginia, Oregon, and Maryland. 

Becky believed in hard work and education, especially financial literacy, and conveyed these values to her children and grandchildren. She loved reading mysteries, cooking and baking for family, sewing (including her own wedding dress), and spending time and walking on the beach with friends and family at Topsail Beach. After retirement, she and Donald relocated to Pittsboro, NC and built their retirement home. As with everything she did, Becky was very involved in the design and details of the house, including the curiously low set light switches and oval door knobs. She kept busy with Spanish lessons and volunteered with several organizations, including CORA food pantry, UNC Hospice, the Chatham County Democratic Party and in constituent services for then-NC House Representative Valerie Foushee. She continued to cook and bake and sewed baby blankets for her grandchildren. "Mimi" loved spending time with her grandchildren at the beach and sharing her love of chocolate and sweets with them. 

Becky is survived by her husband of 56 years, Donald, daughter Sarah (Jason), son Jamie (Molly), and four grandchildren, Audrey, Alice, Ruth, and Jack, all of Chapel Hill. She is also survived by her older brother, Buddy Brandon, of Red Springs, NC and younger sister, Bonnie (Billy) Keaton, of Charlotte. Becky is preceded in death by her parents and her sister Martha.  

Many friends and family helped Becky and Donald in the years after her Alzheimer's diagnosis in 2018. The family would particularly like to thank her brother- and sister-in-law Michael and Marilyn Knowles, family friend Steve Salmony, among many others who spent time with her in her last years. Donald was her primary caregiver during the five years Becky lived at home after her diagnosis. Her two in-home caregivers, Sammy Alvarado and Joanne Thompson, provided tremendous support to both Becky and Donald during this time. The family is also very grateful for everyone involved with the Duke University Dementia Family Support Program, including the staff and other families on the same journey. The family would also like to thank the staff at Brookdale Meadowmont Clare Bridge, Carolina Meadows Skilled Nursing Facility, and UNC Home Hospice for the kindness and care they showed Becky and the family over the last several weeks and months.  

In lieu of a funeral, the Knowles family will host a gathering and more details will be shared in the future. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Duke Dementia Family Support Program at DukeFamilySupport.org, and to UNC Hospice at uncmedicalcenter.org/hospice.