Amy Jean Knorr celebrated her 106th birthday this week,
Knorr was born in 1916 on a farm in rural Illinois. In 1921 the family moved to Whitehall, Michigan where Knorr attended a one-room school house up through eighth grade.
Education was very important in her family and one of the values instilled in her. Knorr majored in home economics at Michigan State University, attending on a 4-H scholarship of $95 that paid for two of her three terms. She eventually earned a doctorate in higher education from Michigan State.
In 1964 she married Philip Knorr and moved to Tucson, where her spouse joined the faculty at the University of Arizona.
Knorr held two part-time positions at UA for a few years before she was hired as a professor of home economics education in 1970. Eight years later she was named department chair, a position Knorr held until her retirement in 1983.
People are also reading…
Knorr has lived at Atria Bell Court for 10 years and continues to read books and socialize with friends.
Sister Carolin Nicolai, left, sings a song she wrote for Amy Jean Knorr, during Knorr's 106th birthday party at the Atria Bell Court, 6653 E Carondelet Drive in Tucson, Ariz. on Monday.
Mamta Popat has been a photojournalist with the Arizona Daily Star since 2003. She covers a wide range of topics including daily life, news and sports. She's the only vegetarian in the photo department.
Mamta Popat
Photojournalist
