Mary Lou (Cooke) MacKnight, age 87, passed away on August 27, 2020 at Hospice House in Concord, NH. Mary Lou was born in Greenfield, MA on June 22, 1933. 

Mary Lou, known to her friends and family as ML, was married to Arlan MacKnight and they celebrated their 65^th anniversary in February 2020. 

Mary Lou graduated from Athol High School in Athol, MA where she was a drummer in the band.  She is an alumnus of Lasell Junior College of Auburndale, MA.  Before moving to New Hampshire in 1960, Mary Lou and her husband lived in Scituate, MA. 

Mary Lou worked for the New Hampshire State Hospital for many years, for the New Hampshire State Bar Association and the Hopkinton Public Schools of Hopkinton, NH. 

Mary Lou was a volunteer at heart and loved helping others.  She was a volunteer at her church, The First Congregational Church of Hopkinton, having served as the Church’s Sunday School Director, the head of the Women’s Fellowship, Quilting Group and sang in the choir for many years.  She also volunteered for the Hopkinton Food Pantry and Hospice House where she was known for her Friday Fish dinners and dump cakes. 

Mary Lou was very family oriented and enjoyed her adventures with her husband, vacationing in New Brunswick and then at their summer home on Morris Island in Nova Scotia.  She enjoyed her many trips with family and friend visiting Alaska, Scotland, the fjords of Scandinavia and many others. 

Mary Lou is survived by her husband, Arlan, her daughters, Lynn Duchesne and her husband, Mark of Colbert, WA, Donna Flister and her husband, Peter of Gloucester, MA, her son, Scott MacKnight and his wife Sandra (Joseph) of Leominster, MA, her brother Roy Cooke, Jr. and his wife Alice and her cousins Ann Curry and Gay Betz, as well as by her 8 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Mary Lou was predeceased by her parents, Roy F. and Miriam (McIntire Reed) Cooke and her sister, Joanne (Cooke) Eames Cadrain. 

Mary Lou’s energetic personality and her smiles will be sorely missed by her family and friends.

Funeral arrangements are being made by Holt-Woodbury Funeral Home of Hillsborough, NH. There will be no visitation hours. Graveside services will be announced at a later date. Interment will be at Contoocook Village Cemetery, Contoocook, NH. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Concord Regional VNA Hospice House, 240 Pleasant Street, Concord, NH 03301 or the Hopkinton Food Pantry, PO Box 774 Contoocook, NH 03229.