Laura Jane Knapp was born February 1,1944, at home during a snowstorm.

Jane suffered from polio and rheumatic fever at a young age. She lived in Opal, South Dakota and went to school there, through the 8th grade.

She met John Knapp in 1952; they went together until they were married in 1961, and lived in Dunlap, Nebraska on a farm.

Their first daughter, Debbie was born in March of 1962, and their second daughter, Becky came in March of 1963. When the girls were born, the couple lived with John's parents. Jane hoed beets in the summer for extra money. Every summer John worked different jobs while John went to mechanic school. During her retirement Jane took care of her family, and enjoyed her friends, and her animals.

Jane explained why she always wanted a Tuxedo Kitty - When She and John were First married, they lived in the barn at Johns parents' house. The brothers asked Jane what she wanted when she came into their room in the barn that night. She said the vary pretty black and white cat would be nice. The brother's caught the very wild black and white cat and placed it into their room. When Jane and John went into the room that night, the cat (who was very wild) ran up and down and scratched everything it could touch. In the end they had to open the door and let the cat out and treat the scratches both had received. The cat was not seen again.

Jane explained why she only liked bacon that someone else cooked - When she and John were first married, she had worked as a cook in a restaurant. Bacon was ordered the most. She had worked late nights and early mornings. She would always go home after work with large burns from cooking the bacon. She loved eating bacon but hated to cook bacon.

Jane and John had moved to Wall, SD after John finished Mechanics school. Jane would work different jobs around Wall. She worked in the Motels cleaning rooms and helping around with laundry and other odd jobs. She also did jobs at home, laundry for others or stitching as needed. One night the family was walking from downtown to home, when a man from across the street Yelled hello. He asked if he could come home with Jane and get his cloths from her house. Jane turned red and all of the people around started to stare at her. She said the local people did not know that this was a friend who she did laundry and sewing.

When Jane and John moved to Rapid City, Jane worked as a School Bus Driver. After a few years, the Company asked a few of the drivers if they want to try and drive the big motor coaches - Jane and Avanelle started training on the motor coaches. The trainer took them up into the Black Hills. They learned to drive the busses through the Tunnels

Needles Highway and Iron Mountain road. They could drive all tunnels both ways. Jane had a joke - while in the Tunnel She would stop have everyone place a finger on the glass then ask if they "Could feel the Pane".

After bus driving - Jane went to Western Dakota Tech to get a degree in business - From this training she went to work at Mileage Plus which was the point system for United Airlines. Because she worked at "United Airlines" she could flight to anywhere United flew They took a trip a year when she worked there. At this time the youngest daughter was in the Maries so they could fly where she was stationed some of the time.

After Jane retired she started raising bird "Cockatiels" She had well over thirty birds for a while. She raised birds from eggs all the way to adults. She would not sell to Pet stores only to friends and relatives - She quit when someone had her birds and she found them in a pet store. She said this was not worth seeing her friends miss treated.

Jane's survived by her husband, John, her daughters Debbie of Rapid City, SD, and Becky of Florida and many nieces and nephews.