Avonne Leibrant

1935 - 2025

Avonne Clare Leibrant, of Ferndale, Washington, passed away at the age of 90 in Bellingham, Washington, on August 15, 2025.

She is survived by her husband, Charles (Bud) Raymond Leibrant; her four children, Richard Knisley Jr., Roy Knisley, Janine Caron, and Michael Knisley; four stepchildren, Lyle Leibrant, Eugene Leibrant, Steve Leibrant, and Carrie Knudson; as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Richard Leland Knisley Sr.; her mother, Pearl Johnson; and her two brothers, Dale and Cliff Wilson.

Avonne was born in Wenatchee, Washington, on January 17, 1935. She graduated from Garfield High School in Seattle in 1953. Shortly after, she married Richard, her childhood friend and neighbor, and together they built a family. Avonne thrived as a mother, caretaker, and homemaker, raising her four children in a home filled with love, joy, and plenty of ice cream.

After her children were grown, Avonne faced the loss of her husband to cancer. She poured herself into work and family, carrying forward with strength and devotion. Some years later, at the Deming Log Show, a "blind setup" introduced her to Charles. Avonne asked him to dance, and the rest was history. They married in 1983 and shared more than four decades together.

Avonne and Charles built a life full of laughter, travel, and family. They spent winters in California surrounded by friends and adventures, geocaching, dune buggying, and making memories; and summers back home in Whatcom County with loved ones. There, Avonne enjoyed crafts, puzzles, crocheting, and the simple beauty of everyday living while watching her family continue to grow.

Avonne is deeply loved and will be profoundly missed by all whose lives she touched. Her devotion to love and family has left an enduring legacy in the hearts and memories of all who knew her.