Zane Knoy, a longtime Manchester resident, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 30th at 8 pm. He was 94 years old. Zane was born in Martinsville, Indiana, and grew up on a farm. Although he spent nearly all of his life in New England, he always carried that Indiana farm boy inside him.

Zane had a large circle of family and friends who will miss his bright, friendly spirit. Among them are his daughters; Sarah Jane Knoy, Pamela Cooke, and Laura Knoy, along with Zane’s beloved longtime companion, Kathy Urie. Other dear ones include his grandchildren, Isaiah WinnettKnoy, Frances Cooke, and Abe WinnettKnoy; sons-in-law Kevin Kintner, Andrew Cooke, and Steve Winnett; along with many nieces, nephews, cousins, and close friends. He is pre-deceased by his former wife, Martha Bauman.

Zane was outgoing, charming, opinionated, generous, enthusiastic, and passionate about equality and justice for all people. After receiving his divinity degree at Harvard University in 1954, he began his career as a minister, pastoring the First Christian Church, Disciples of Christ in Lynn, Massachusetts. A lifelong champion of civil rights, Zane answered the call for support in 1965 and traveled to Selma, Alabama in the wake of “Bloody Sunday.” He also participated in the 1963 March on Washington where Dr. Martin Luther King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech. As a community leader in Lynn, he led local economic and social justice initiatives, including opening the first Office of Economic Opportunity, founding a drop-in center for youth, and campaigning against housing discrimination.

Zane left formal ministry after 15 years, but continued to work to improve life for humankind. He helped several states around the country craft new approaches regarding care for vulnerable elderly populations, including in New Hampshire. In his final professional role, Zane greatly enjoyed serving as a professor at Springfield College in Manchester.

Zane was a lifelong singer. Starting in church as a boy, he continued singing in choruses and musical theater. One chorus trip took him to Great Britain, where he joined daughter Pamela for a week in London. In mid-life, Zane also took up Contra dancing. He and Kathy attended hundreds of dances in New Hampshire. Zane loved the Southwestern U.S., visiting many times. One memorable trip involved camping and hiking in the Havasu Canyon with his daughter Sarah Jane. Another was a nine-day pontoon boat ride with Kathy down the Colorado river. Zane and Kathy also enjoyed two Caribbean cruises, and trips to civil rights monuments in the South.

In retirement, Zane continued his community work. He was a lifetime member of the NAACP, a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity and took on stewardship of public spaces in his community; regular clearing the hiking trails behind his Manchester Gardens apartment complex. If he saw something that needed doing, Zane took it on himself to do it.

Zane was a devoted grandfather. He would settle baby granddaughter Frances on his shoulders and tromp around the woods, probably singing along the way. He shared his love of Hampton Beach with his grandchildren as they grew older, and at age 80, introduced his grandsons to the theme parks in Orlando, taking great delight in the rides and amusements.

Zane’s vigor and zest were legendary. His two tenets of life were “Keep singing,” and “Walk, walk, walk!!”

At age 93, Zane needed more care and moved to The Courvilles in Manchester. His daughters and Kathy express their deepest gratitude to every single member of the Courville staff, who were unfailingly capable, kind, and loving.

A celebration of Zane’s amazing life will take place on Saturday, March 21st, at 10 a.m. Please join us at First Congregational Church, 508 Union Street, Manchester, N.H.