Nelva Anne Knotts Rayburn

Nelva Anne (Gregg) Knotts Rayburn, 90, passed away Thursday, January 23, 2025 at her home in New Martinsville, WV.

She was born April 9, 1934 in Parkersburg, WV, the daughter of the late Shirley “Jack” and Coca A. Clevenger Gregg. She is the last surviving member of her immediate family and passed away one week before the 35th anniversary passing of her father, Jack Gregg, January 30, 1990.

She was a 1952 graduate of Parkersburg High School and was a photographer for several years for Olan Mills Studios. She went to work in medical records in 1967, putting medical records on to microfiche. In 1974, she became one of the first two Accredited Records Technicians in West Virginia. She worked in Quality Assurance Risk Management until 1991, when she retired due to a medical disability. She was a member of Grace Brethren Church in Parkersburg, WV and since moving to New Martinsville, she attended Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.

She loved to read, loved to be outside in the warm weather listening to the birds and singing and admiring flowers. She loved Jeopardy and was very good at it. She loved WVU Football, Pittsburgh Pirates baseball and Pittsburgh Steelers football (Ed converted her). Most of all, she loved being a mother and grandmother. This was her true calling. She had six children of her own and added four more when she married their father, Lee Knotts, February 14, 1959. After the passing of their spouses, she reconnected with her junior high school sweetheart, Ed Rayburn.

As much as she loved her family, she loved Jesus even more. Her life verse was Matthew 11:28,”Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” Raising her children and grandchildren to believe in God and the promise of eternal life was of the utmost importance to her. To her, that was the ultimate goal as a mother. We know where she is and that we will see her again.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters Arlene Gregg Greer and Janice Lou Gregg; her brothers Kenneth W. and Delmas C. Gregg; her son, Gregory Lee Knotts; step-sons, Steven D. and Simon A. Knotts II; and grandsons, Michael Pennybacker and David Boyer.

She is survived by her husband, Ed Rayburn, whom she married June 2, 2024; children, David Munday (Autumn) of Charleston, SC, Steve Munday (Kim) of Simi Valley, California, Jim Munday (Penny), Joey Knotts(Candy) , and her daughter and best friend, Julie Shepherd (Randy) of Parkersburg. Also surviving are step-daughter, Linda Knotts Pennybacker and step-son, David Wayne Knotts, both of Parkersburg; Christine (Michael) Pacheco of Litchfield, New Hampshire and Greg (Jackie) Rayburn of Haymarket, Virginia. She is also survived by sixteen grandchildren, including Victoria and Alex Shepherd, who shared a special bond with their Nanny. Several great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren and nieces and nephews.

Services are to be held at 1PM, Saturday,February 1, 2025 at the Grace Brethren Church,1610 Blizzard Drive, Parkersburg West Virginia. Visitation will be held from 12 noon until time of service. Interment will follow at Sunset Memory Gardens, Parkersburg, West Virginia.

In lieu of flowers, Nelva had a passion for St. Jude Hospital, and the family requests that memorial contributions be made directly to St. Jude in her memory. You can contribute at stjude.org/donate or by mailing donations to 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Lambert-Tatman, South Parkersburg is honored to serve the Rayburn family.