Dr. Margaret Adele “Margie” Knoll, 52, of Westminster, Md., died Saturday, April 14, 2012, from lung cancer.

Born Jan. 21, 1960, in Pittsburgh, Pa., she was the daughter of Mary Catherine “Kit” Heins Knoll and John S. Knoll, of Catonsville, Md..

She grew up in Catonsville, where she attended St. Agnes School and Catonsville Senior High School, class of 1978. She continued her education at the University of Maryland, College Park, and Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech, earning her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1986.

She began her veterinary career that same year at Lewis Veterinary Hospital in Columbia and then went to the Hillside Veterinary Hospital in Charles Town, from 1993 until 1994.

In 1995, she joined Kable Animal Hospital in Westminster, which expanded to become Airpark Animal Hospital, where she remained for the rest of her career. During that time, she also worked as an attending veterinarian/research project consultant for the National Institutes of Health in Baltimore and at Towson University, conducting research studies on animal behavior.

An athlete in her youth, she played basketball, softball, volleyball and soccer. She enjoyed being physically active. She especially liked hiking outdoors, paddling or riding horses. She traveled with friends and family all over the United States and the world. Her trinkets from her adventures were books; she was an avid reader and liked to learn new things, especially if they could be incorporated into her care of animals. Her approach to veterinary medicine blended Western and Eastern practices and had a focus on nutrition and acupuncture. She spent the past several years consulting and promoting animal behavioral medicine.

She was a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, American Animal Hospital Association, American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, Maryland Veterinary Medical Association and the Maryland Animal Health Emergency Volunteer Veterinary Corps.

Surviving, in addition to her parents, are sisters Mary Cate Schumacher, of Wheaton, Ill., Patricia “Patsy” Knoll, of Alexandria, Va., and Lisa Knoll, of Pikesville; a brother, John Knoll, of Westminster; brothers-in-law Robert Schumacher and Rasoul Motavalli; nephews and niece Ryan, Alex, Catherine and Adam Schumacher, and John and Joseph Motavalli; and numerous friends, colleagues and clients.

A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated April 20 in Catonsville, Md. and a memorial service was held April 28 in Westminster, Md.

Online condolences may be offered at www.weberfuneral.com.