Bixby Woman Dies In Tragic Accident, Remembered For Her Passion For Animal Rescue

A Bixby woman has died in what her family is calling a freak accident.

The victim was well known for her volunteer work in the animal rescue community.

The daughter of 80-year-old Marilyn Knapik says she was run over by her car in her driveway.

Marilyn's daughter says her mom spent every morning walking her dog at Washington Irving Park. Now, Marilyn's love for animals will live on through the rescue group where she volunteered.

Marilyn Knapik Battey was an active 80-year-old who loved doing dog agility competitions with her miniature Australian shepherd, Sky.

"She was in great health, and we credit that to the animals because she was on the go with them all the time," said Dawn Battey, Marilyn’s daughter.

Battey says she's still in shock over how her mom died on Sept. 18. Dawn says her mom was alone outside her Bixby home when a freak accident happened on her driveway as she was trying to get out of her car.

"She somehow got trapped between the door and the car and was trying to get herself back up into it, and it just got too much momentum and possibly lost her footing. We don't know, but in the end, the car had run her over,” she said.

Marilyn died three days before one of her favorite events, Woofstock. It’s Oklahoma's largest pet adoption event in Jenks. Still, Marilyn's spirit was felt at Woofstock, with all the decorations she spent weeks making.

"We won decorations, so I know she'd be proud,” said Battey. “That is the third year in a row we won first decorations. We're a little competitive."

Dawn says Marilyn loved dogs and giving back to rescue groups like Route 66 Pet Rescue.

"She was always helping raise funds for anything that we needed,” she said. “In her honor, we're asking for donations for the rescue, and I think she would be very happy with that."

Loved ones find peace in knowing Marilyn lived life to the fullest and helped many animals.

"Slow down, be careful what you're doing, and like they always say: Tomorrow's never promised," Battey said.

Dawn says she hopes that sharing her mom's story will help encourage other pet owners to have plans in place if something unexpected happens to them or if they're no longer able to take care of their pets.