The Leander ISD community is mourning the passing of Patricia Faye Knowles, the namesake of the district’s 12th elementary school. She was 90 years old. Knowles began her storied career with the district in 1976, teaching seventh and eighth-grade students at Leander Junior High. A few years after she retired, voters elected her to the LISD Board of Trustees, where she served for nine years.
Although deeply saddened by this loss, we appreciate all the contributions Pat Knowles made to the district as an educator and as an elected leader. While she knew our community intimately as a small rural one, she oversaw remarkable growth and change.
Knowles Elementary opened in 2003. At the time, very few LISD campuses had living namesakes. Students had the privilege of meeting Pat, as she would visit the campus often, asking about the latest happenings and sharing stories about her grandchildren.
“She always loved to visit the library and share her love of reading with our students,” Knowles Elementary principal Lara Labbe-Maginel said. “She loved the opportunity to read to different groups of students. The students were always in awe that the ‘whole school’ was named after her. We will miss her; but we will continue to develop a love of reading in each Knowles Wrangler, so her legacy can live on.”
A public viewing will be held at Beck Funeral Home in Cedar Park from 5-7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24. A graveside service will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25. in Staar, Texas.
The Knowles family is making arrangements to make a donation in her honor to the Knowles Elementary library. Details will follow.
