H. Ray McKnight

Ray was born on August 19, 1933 in Charleston, West Virginia to Gae Carney McKnight and Vaughn McKnight. His father was an independent vendor specializing in commercial building supply sales, and his mother was a homemaker. Ray and his younger sister Dee enjoyed a carefree childhood surrounded by a large extended family; relatives were next-door neighbors on both sides of their house. In the summertime they were involved in children’s theatre, with Ray onstage and Dee behind the scenes. This led to young Ray being cast in performances with the Kanawha Players on the Kanawha River showboat. The siblings also spent countless hours in the public library. Ray excelled in academics, played basketball and the saxophone, and was elected student body president of Charleston High School.

Ray attended Harvard University, receiving his Bachelor of Arts in English Literature followed by a Master of Arts and Ph.D in English Literature from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While at UNC, he met his future wife Margaret Allman, but following her completion of a Master of Arts degree, Marge moved to New York City joining her friend Juleann and enjoyed being a single woman with a budding career in book publishing. Later, realizing he needed to be clearer about a future with Marge, Ray traveled to NYC in the spring of 1960 to find her. Alas, he arrived in Manhattan not knowing she had moved and didn’t have her current address. As Fate, Kismet and all the rest would have it, Ray happened to walk into the Rexall Drugstore in her old neighborhood, and there she was picking up a prescription. As Marge liked to tell the story, Ray asked if she would move to Oregon with him, as he’d been offered a teaching position at University of Oregon in Eugene. She accepted this unconventional proposal; they married five months later, and drove off to their future across the country in Ray’s light blue VW Bug.

Ray taught English at U of O for five years where Marge also taught courses in the department part-time. Daughters Katherine (Kate) and Sarah were born during the years in Eugene. In 1965, he was offered a tenure-track position at California State University, Fresno, and the family relocated to the Central Valley. Daughter Elizabeth (Carrie) was born in Fresno two years later. Ray taught English Literature at CSU Fresno for 32 years, specializing in Restoration and 18th Century British literature. Of his many accomplishments while at Fresno State and part of his professional legacy, Ray co-founded the San Joaquin Valley Writing Project for K-16 educators, and he founded the Young Writer’s Conference for high school students and their teachers.

Ray and Marge raised their three daughters in Fresno in a house filled with books and music, always encouraging them in their various creative interests. When Marge decided to pursue a law degree in 1975, Ray was very supportive and took over many of the parenting duties while she attended law school and established her career as an appellate attorney. Throughout their lives together, Ray and Marge enjoyed travel, attending local arts events and the San Francisco Opera, and involvement in community and political organizations.

Marge was diagnosed with an incurable illness in 2012, and Ray was a loving and devoted caretaker during her last years. After she passed away in 2014, Ray moved to Marina Bay in Richmond and began a new life on his own (but near two of his daughters and their spouses and youngest grandson). He had been an active member of several civic organizations in Fresno, including Downtown Fresno Coalition which he co-founded. In the East Bay, Ray continued his life of service as a volunteer writing coach for middle school students and as a docent at Rosie the Riveter Museum. In addition to his volunteer work, Ray enjoyed attending music, dance, and theatrical performances, traveling, being with his family, and visiting his many friends.

Ray was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Margaret A. McKnight. He is survived by his daughters and their spouses: Kate McKnight (Mike Mogan), Sarah Serafimidis (Neo Serafimidis), and Carrie McKnight (Glenn Barnes); grandsons Logan Wippern and Theo Serafimidis; his sister Dee Brown; nieces Audrey Williams and Anne Robinson, nephew Stuart Brown, and their families; and numerous cousins.

A private inurnment was held at Belmont Memorial Park in Fresno. A Celebration of Life will be held January 7th, 2023, 2:00 pm at Elite Event Banquet Hall / 4105 W. Figarden Drive / Fresno, CA 93722.

For those who wish to make a donation in Ray’s memory, please consider supporting one of his many favorite organizations and charities such as: WriterCoach Connection in Berkeley, Poverello House in Fresno, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, or Habitat for Humanity. A memorial scholarship has been established for first-generation English graduate students at Fresno State. Checks can be made to: Fresno State Foundation, with “H. Ray McKnight Memorial Scholarship” in the check memo, and mailed to 2380 E. Keats Ave. / MB99 / Fresno, CA 93740. For questions about the scholarship donation, call 559-278-8341.