John A. McKnight, Jr.

He is survived by his wife, Judith McKnight; his children Liza (Gary), Linda (John), Michelle, John III, Heather, and Shannon (Matt); and his stepchildren Cheryl (Tom), Tracy, and David. He also leaves behind his cherished West Highland White Terriers, Quinn and Piper.

John was a proud grandfather to Ashlie (Chris), Danny (Sam), Vinnie, Cassandra, Thomas, Cristeina, Julianna, Erin (Josh), Brayden, Madison, Katelynn, Cheyanne, Elliot Jr., Jackson, Paige, Rose, Joe, Matt, Mandy (Justin), many fur-grandbabies; and a great-grandfather to Cameron, Christian, Parker, Autumn, Renley, Nora, Ryker, and Roman.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Mildred Collins McKnight and John McKnight Sr.; his brother, Charlie McKnight; his stepson, Bill; his lifelong best friend, Jim Shields; and many beloved dogs—Westies, Shorthaired Collies, and Chocolate Labs—who brought him joy through the years.

John graduated from Monsignor Bonner Catholic High School in Pennsylvania and briefly joined the U.S. Navy before being recruited into the U.S. Air Force. There, he earned his A&P Certification and served four years as an aircraft mechanic.

His passion for aviation led him to Eastern Airlines, where he trained to become a commercial pilot and eventually rose to the rank of Captain, flying the friendly skies on a variety of aircrafts. True to his values, John never crossed the Eastern picket line. He later joined United Airlines, once again achieving the rank of Captain. He flew the Boeing 727 until his retirement, which followed the September 11 attacks on our country and the retirement of the Boeing 727 fleet.

Following retirement, John and Judith traveled the country with their pack of Westies in their 5th wheel, creating new memories along the way. Still drawn to the skies, John returned to aviation as a flight instructor for JAL WAYS, Evergreen Airlines, and ATS—where he proudly trained some of the best, including NASA pilots. At the age of 82, he attended flight school once more, earning the credentials to fly the Beech 1900—proving age was no match for passion.

John loved being present in his family’s lives—traveling across the country to attend his grandchildren’s milestone events and teaching his local grandkids to drive with patience, humor, and a steady hand. He was a key figure in the Westie Club of Denver, where he was a well-respected breeder, handler, and competitor in the show ring—often winning points toward championship titles.

A natural tinkerer, John could often be found in his garage—his personal North Pole—fixing, building, or inventing. John was a kind, wise man who always had the right tool, the right answer, and the right words.

John will be remembered for his strength, wisdom, kindness, and the deep love he had for his family, friends, and his dogs. His presence will be deeply missed, but his legacy lives on in the lives of the many people—and pups—he inspired and nurtured.

Services will be held on Thursday, June 5th at Olinger Andrews Caldwell Gibson Chapel, 407 Jerry Street, Castle Rock, CO at 9AM. John will be interred and will receive military honors at Ft. Logan National Cemetery at 2:30 PM.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to one of John's' favorite passions:

Colorado Civil Air Patrol- https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/giving?form=25AnnualCampaign please select ‘a donation to a Wing’ and add a comment for and designate the Colorado Wing.

Westie Rescue Network (WRN) - https://www.westierescuenetwork.org/help-wrn/donations