Rev. Mary Waterman Knapp (Lebanon)'s Obituary
Rev. Mary Elizabeth Waterman-Knapp, of Lebanon, Missouri, passed away on January 11, 2026, in Springfield, Missouri, after a long illness, at the age of eighty-six years, seven months and five days.
Known affectionately as "Betty," she was born on June 8, 1939, in Mount Olivette, Missouri, to Elwood and Helen Gann. She grew up in the Lebanon area, playing music, working at Vern's and singing everywhere she went. Betty's first love was Jesus and close behind was music.
From a young age, she shared her musical gifts by singing a rich alto, playing bass and piano at her home church and performing with several gospel groups. In 1954, Betty married Gene Waterman in Lebanon, and together they began a life of faith, and service.
They made their first home in Marshall, Missouri, where they worked for Stampers, later known as Banquet Frozen Foods, and welcomed sons Donald and Dennis into their family. After answering the call to ministry, Gene and Betty entered full-time evangelism, traveling across the country ministering in churches, jails, and rodeos.
Eventually, they accepted the pastorate at the Assembly of God Church in Golden City, Missouri, where they welcomed their daughter Deborah. Their ministry journey continued in Norwood, Missouri, and later Sullivan, Missouri, where they pastored First Assembly of God and Trinity Full Gospel Tabernacle until Gene's passing in 2002.
Betty was ordained by the Full Gospel Churches International in 1990. After returning to her home place of Lebanon, Betty found new joy and companionship with Rev. Billy Knapp. They were married on February 14, 2016, and shared many happy years together until his passing in 2025.
Betty was a true partner in ministry-gifted, willing, and tireless. She played numerous instruments, sang, taught Sunday school, led choirs, worked church camps, coordinated VBS, and stepped into whatever role was needed. She was a devoted encourager of young musicians and ministers and was known to give literally the coat off her back, the shoes off her feet, all the beef in the freezer and even the tires off her car to ministers in need.
She had a few culinary specialties-cornbread, blackberry cobbler, fried potatoes, and wilted lettuce salad-but otherwise should NOT cook and stay out of the kitchen. Betty loved sewing, wall papering, gardening, raising African violets, swimming, flower arranging, gloves, chapstick, angel figurines and everything purple.
Church was the center of Betty's world. One of her first questions in conversation was always, "How is your church? Tell me about it." Her steady counsel followed faithfully: "Have you prayed about it? Are you in the Word? Are you behind on your tithes?"-to which her family often replied, "Yes, yes, and yes, Mom... it's just a headache."
Betty worked diligently all her life-often to the point of overdoing it-joking that her parents should have named her Martha instead of Mary. Along with ministry duties she worked at various jobs including home health nursing care.
She will be remembered for her steady presence, her warmth, her generosity, and the love she shared so freely. She was preceded in death by the love of her life, Rev. Eugene Waterman; her second husband, Rev. Billy Knapp; her parents, Elwood and Helen Gann; her parents-in-law, Rev. Virgil and Hazel Waterman; her daughters-in-law, Carole Waterman and Judi Waterman; her brother, David Gann; and her brother- and sister-in-laws, Joel and Ellen Waterman, Rev. Clifford Canon, Margaret Waterman, Gloria and Terrence Schultz, and Ronald Waterman.
Betty is survived by her children, Don and Sue Waterman; Dennis Waterman; Deb and Ron Kampmann; and Becky Waterman; her grandchildren, Jennifer Salmon, Natasha Stringer, Nathaniel Waterman, Caleb Waterman, Adam Pendergrass, Aaron Pendergrass, Stephen Dazey, Joseph Dazey, Sarah Dazey and Jesse Dazey; and 24 great-grandchildren.
She is also survived by her brother, Dr. James Gann and wife Louise; her brothers- and sisters-in-law, David Waterman, Ada Canon, and Rev. Charles and Theresa Waterman; along with a host of nieces, nephews, extended family, church and ministry friends who will cherish her memory always.
The best way to honor Betty's memory is to share the gospel, play your music loud, pray daily for your pastor and pay your tithes. Services will be held Friday, January 16, 2026 at 2 p.m. at Holman-Howe Funeral Home. Visitation will be Friday, beginning at 12:30 p.m. until service time.
Burial will follow at Lebanon Cemetery. A memorial to the SoMo Women's Ministries, 528 West Battlefield, Springfield, MO 65807, has been established and donations may be left at the funeral home.
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