Clive Knee

Clive was a devoted and loving family man to his survived lovely wife Mary, their four sons David, Peter, Paul and Andrew and their six grandchildren Chelsea, Tyler, Marissa, Thomas, Sarah and Rachel.

Being born at the end of the Great Depression, a child of the Second World War, the son of a textiles mill manager from a tough working class town in northern England set the stage for the unfolding of all his life’s adventures!

On completion of High School at age 16 Clive commenced his long and hard fought career in the textile industry. Hired by his father, he started at the bottom pushing broom to eventually surpassing him by age 30 as mill manager of 2 mills, which were in different towns! After the initial 2 years of tutelage from his dad and others in the mill Clive chose to do his 2 years of British National Service as a Scots Guard, the Queen’s Personal Guard. Fighting guerilla jungle warfare at age 18 in the British Malayan War Clive returned home to Great Harwood. With his childhood behind him and surviving 2 ½ years of that jungle warfare, Clive returned home with a much deeper desire to succeed through his great passion for excellence, hard work ethic and his signature dogged determination!

So now Clive embarked on his pursuit for a professional career, which started by finding the love of his life, Ms. Mary Martha Whelan; the two were married at age 23 on the 03 July 1954. The first years of Clive and Mary’s marriage would be seven long intense ones, where Clive managing 2 textile mills and attending night school, the last three in which he taught night classes alongside his regular studies, all so he could acquire his Chartered Textiles Technologist Degree and provide for his young wife and the first 3 of their 4 children while doing so.

His vocation would see him leave England for Kaduna, Nigeria to assist in building and operating a textile mill, then Montreal, Canada to ply his craft in technical sales and marketing and finally to Mobile, Alabama where he would finish as Senior Vice President and an Officer of the company. The highlight of his career entailed his involvement in the establishment higher quality products and market share, improvements in Rayon, and finally a major development of Tencel.

Clive was not all work and no play. He took his passion for excellence in life beyond his career and family. He was indeed a “serial hobbyist”! He had a constant need to fill his entire life with something worthwhile and meaningful. Clive busying himself with cross country running and orienteering in his youth ending with running and a number of marathons in later life, played chess throughout his whole life eventually being ranked and an avid gardener with a love for roses. He even made some good wines, brewed some great beer, developed a passion for bird watching and enjoy camaraderie in shooting and hunting. Could there be included in all this, Clive’s love for or need to entertain? Yes! He was a constant standout at most social gathering working the audience too deeper thought and greater gayety. Whether it be regaling tall tales of bygone days, employing his natural wit and charm or even reciting poetry and common jokes, Clive did so to draw people into a fuller life!

Growing up in our father’s home the four of us often heard these; “It’s a great life, if you don’t weaken.” and “When I am dead and gone don’t make a fuss over me, just bury me in the backyard in a burlap bag!” These epitomize his character and style.

Clive Knee; much loved and truly and dearly missed. Rest in peace!