Joan Davisson Knapp, Lewes matriarch
Joan Davisson Knapp was born Oct. 3, 1930, to Major George E. Davisson and Kathryn A. Davisson of Swarthmore, Pa. After a sustained battle with Alzheimer's, waged with the help of family and friends, she prevailed on her terms, at her beach cottage, with her husband and family at her side Wednesday, March 4, 2015.
In her death, as in her life, Joan displayed love, strength, courage and an eternal bond to the love of her life, Halsey G. Knapp, and her family. "If there is anything you ever need, just call," she said repeatedly to them in her final weeks. She meant it, as she conceded not an inch to the heinous disease which she knew was ravaging her life, and had watched ravage the life of her beloved mother, Kitty, years before. Her family and friends are calling still, but only the memory of her life answers.
Joan was in the 1948 graduating Class of Swarthmore High School and attended Dickinson College. Joan and Halsey were married Sept, 16, 1950, at Swarthmore United Methodist Church. They relocated to Shiloh, N.J. where their first child, Deborah Ann Knapp, was born, and Halsey worked for Gorson & McCormick, growers of apples, peaches and vegetables of the kind that he would later perfect at the Nassau Orchards. After a visit from his father, Leslie Knapp, a partnership was reborn, and the Knapps focused their considerable growing gifts on the fertile soils of Nassau.
Back on Lewes Beach, Joan was raising a family, now grown to four children, Debbie Ann, Halsey George Jr., Amy Allison and Leslie Gay Knapp. Having summered at the beach, the Knapps purchased their dream house, a beach cottage, on Lewes Beach in 1962.
In many ways, Joan spent the rest of her life there: swimming (she claims her father had swam to the breakwater once), sailing (her father had been one of the founders of the Lewes Yacht Club), blowing her whistle ("Halsey George....") and serving up hospitality at their famous porch table. Everyone was welcome, friend and neighbor alike, and Joan effortlessly served a rich bounty of offerings from the farm and the bay. She has returned to the Delaware Bay, where the spirit of her daughter, Debbie, who took on cancer years ago, still resides.
Joan was an active member of the Lewes Yacht Club where she was a recipient of the George E. Davisson Award, which is named for her father. She was also an active member of The Sussex Gardeners where she was awarded a 50-year membership award, a member of the Rehoboth Beach Country Club and Lewes Presbyterian Church.
Joan was preceded in death by her father, Major George E. Davisson, a career cavalry officer, killed Dec 28, 1944, in the Battle of the Bulge; by her mother, Kathryn A. Davisson; her daughter, Deborah Ann Knapp; and her grandson, Leslie G. Marini.
She is survived by her husband of 64-plus years, Halsey G. Knapp of Lewes; her son, Halsey G. Knapp Jr and his wife, Evelyn Rogers Knapp and their children, Halsey G. Knapp III and Evelyn Arden Knapp of Atlanta, Ga.; Amy Knapp Rumford and her three sons, William Walker Rumford V, Brook Ives Rumford and his wife, Erin Rumford, and Bryce Knapp Rumford of Glen Mills, Pa.; and Gay Knapp Marini and her two daughters, Deborah Knapp Marini and Kathryn Frances Marini, of Lewes.
A Celebration of Joan's life will be held Saturday, April 4, at the Lewes Yacht Club, 2701 Cedar Ave., Lewes, where the family will receive friends from 1 to 5 p.m. Arrangements are being handled by Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, Lewes.
Please visit Joan's Life Memorial webpage and sign her online guestbook at www.parsellfuneralhomes.com.
