We were saddened today to learn that longtime roadie Mary Lou Knudson — who with her husband, David, co-founded the National Historic Route 66 Federation — passed away Saturday.
David tells us that Mary Lou was voted into Who’s Who Of American Women “when there was only one and it was a great honor.” She was also a professional model, managed a chain of women’s clothing stores, served as president of the Riverside Women’s Club, and co-founded the National Route 66 Federation, which spearheaded the 1999 Congressional bill that authorized the allocation of $10 million for the restoration of properties and communities along 66.
As part of her Federation duties, Mary Lou helped organize the Steinbeck Awards Evening every year from 1997 to 2005. She was a strong advocate for Route 66 and always had a smile, a hug, or a kind word for those of us who live, work, and play along the shoulders of the Mother Road.
Mary Lou was born at March Air Force Base in Riverside, Calif., while her father was in the Air Force.
Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 19, at Mount View Mortuary and Cemetery, 570 E. Highland Ave., San Bernardino, CA 92404.
David says: “Mary Lou loved flowers, so if you are wondering what you may do, please send flowers.”
As I told David today in an e-mail: Mary Lou’s body may have worn out, but her beauty, intelligence, compassion, and love for the Mother Road are most certainly alive and well in every smile and every act of kindness between Chicago and L.A. and beyond.
To paraphrase Tom Joad:
“She’ll be all around in the dark — she’ll be everywhere. Wherever you can look — wherever there’s a guy moving a turtle off the highway, she’ll be there. Wherever there’s a cop stopping to help a stranded motorist, she’ll be there. Wherever there’s an awestruck tourist basking under soft blue argon light in the high desert, she’ll be there. She’ll be in the throaty rumble of a Harley’s engine and the friendly beep of a Volkswagen’s horn. She’ll be in the way guys yell when they’re chasing wild burros out of souvenir shops. She’ll be in the way kids laugh when they see the Wigwams and they know it’s time to stop for the night, and when the people are workin’ in their own businesses and livin’ in the motels they run — she’ll be there, too.”
Travel well, sweet friend.
Emily
To all Route 66 Roadies and the Delorean Club; here’s to all of you my sweet friends who knew Mary Lou! Go out there and live life to the fullest, be kind, gentle and if you think of my Mother, give her your best smile to a stranger and thank her for all that she was for she was my all. I so miss her. My Mother, my dear and closest friend.
Tom Joad…I don’t believe I ever met you or maybe I just can’t remember…sorry if that is so. But…I can’t top what you said about my Mother! Thank you. It all helps in my healing process.
Love to all of you out there!
Cheri Fairchild,
Mary Lou’s daughter