STILWELL, OK – Rozella Rema Mzhickteno Knight, 90, went to her heavenly home on August 26, 2017. She was born to William Mzhickteno and Ona Jane (Seely) Mzhickteno on December 2, 1926 in Mayetta, Kansas. She entered her heavenly home from Stilwell, Oklahoma.
She was a member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation of Kansas. Her Potawatomi name is Shoush-kose. She enjoyed cooking for her family and friends. Sewing and music, especially singing at church were also her joys. She was a member of Oklahoma Indian Nations, Southwest Vietnam Veterans, and Northwest Honor Color Guards.
In her late teens she made the decision to become a Christian. This decision became a guiding force late in her life.
Rozella attended Chilocco Indian School in Newkirk, Oklahoma, living in Home 3. Food preparation was the emphasis of her studies which she used in many different ways serving her family and church families. While attending Chilocco she met and married Willis W. Knight. They married on December 10, 1946.
After marrying they began a journey that started with attending Southwestern Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas. Seeing a need for an Indian church in Dallas, they moved and began the first Indian mission in Dallas. It became the first Indian church. The Southern Baptist Home Mission board asked them to help with encouragement and leadership in Eagle Butte, South Dakota. After serving in South Dakota their journey continued with serving churches in not only Texas and South Dakota but also Kansas and Oklahoma. Rozella was a member of Mulberry Tree Baptist Church.
Rozella worked at Southwestern Bell which is now AT&T. She retired from there before moving to Stilwell. She worked outside the home as well as alongside her husband in ministering to churches.
Rozella is preceded in death by her late husband, Willis W. Knight, parents, William Mzhickteno and Ona Jane (Seely) Mzhickteno, sons, Eldon “Beau” and Alfred “Butch” Knight, a sister, Leona Knoxsah, and brothers, Leroy, Virgil, and William Mzhickteno.
Her surviving family are, daughters, Joy Knight, of the home, Sue Perdue and husband John Mark Perdue of Greeley, Colorado, daughter-in-law, Judith Hunter of Anadarko, sister-in-law, Ramona Mason and husband Archie Mason of Tulsa, her grandchildren, Justin Barber of Oklahoma City, Clarissa Knight of Anadarko, Tamura Mitchell of Stilwell, Rachel Behrends of Greeley, Colorado, Latisha Knight of Tulsa, Suzanna Perdue and Jonathan Perdue of Greeley, Colorado and Sunny Black of Anadarko. She also leaves 22 great-grandchildren.
A wake service will be held 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 30, 2017 at Mulberry Tree Baptist Church with funeral services at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 31, 2017 at the Montesoma Baptist Church in Okemah. Services are entrusted to the care of Hart Funeral Home of Stilwell. Online guest book and obituaries available at: www.hartfuneralhome.net.
- Courtesy of Hart Funeral Home