James A. Knight

James Allen Knight of Ft. Morgan, Colorado passed from this life with family around him on July 18, 2015. He was the third child of Raymond Arthur Knight and Elnora Mary King, born in their home in Englewood, Colorado on October 12, 1939. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Brenda LaNelle Aker; a son, Greg and his wife, Staci, of Tulare, California; daughter, Kathy, and her husband, Kent Bruce of Windsor, Colorado; daughter, Becky, and her husband, Tim of Ft. Morgan and daughter, Vicki, and husband Myron of Plano, Texas. He leaves 11 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his older brother, Leo Knight of Ft. Collins, Colorado and younger sister, Linda Allen of Olathe, Kansas. He was preceded in death by his parents and older sister, Estella Baker of Ft. Collins.

Jim and Brenda married in August 1959 in Denver, Colorado. In 1962, Jim received his bachelor’s degree in education from Abilene Christian College in Abilene, Texas. Exactly 10 years later in 1972, he received his master’s degree in recreation from University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado. His teaching experiences included one year in Levelland, Texas; three years at Heath Jr. High and 29 years at West High School, both in Greeley. He taught history, government, psychology, sociology, and outdoor recreation. He was assistant golf coach for 15 years and varsity golf coach for six years at West High School, receiving coach of the year 2 separate years. After retirement in 1995, he continued to teach in the hunter education program for a total of 48 years and received a master hunter education award in 1993. He also received the Colorado Hunter Education Cornerstone Award presented to instructors who have been with the hunter education program since its earliest years having taught over 3,500 students.

Other work experiences included: construction and remodeling his own houses, as well as those of friends; a solar business with friend, Leonard Thompson; dying carpets and selling vacuums with friend, James Holder; direct distributor of an Amway business; spraying weeds on county roads; and a hunting and fishing guide at Eagle’s Nest Ranch east of Greeley for ten years after retirement.

Jim attended the Church of Christ from childhood becoming a leader in the 18th Avenue Church of Christ in Greeley, later known as Westview Church of Christ. He was a deacon for 14 years and an elder for 22 years. He later became one of the first elders at the Windsor Church of Christ in Windsor for three years. Many summers, when his children were campers, Jim was a teacher or director of Bible Camps at Circle C or Cherokee Christian Ranch in Colorado and Pine Springs Camp in New Mexico. Jim and Brenda taught the Bible in 1993, for six weeks in Hildesheim, Germany, to Chinese students at UNC in Greeley for seven years and in 2000, in Volgograd, Russia for five weeks.

A visitation will be from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 21, 2015 at Stoddard Funeral Home. Service will be at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, July 23, 2015 at Westview Church of Christ in Greeley.

Because of Jim’s love of sharing the gospel, a scholarship has been established in his honor at Freed-Hardeman University to assist students in the preparation of teaching God’s Word. If you wish to contribute or in lieu of flowers you may send your gift to Freed-Hardeman University, 158 East Main Street, Henderson, Tennessee 38340, in honor of James A. Knight Memorial Scholarship for Bible Majors.

Please visit www.stoddardsunset.com to sign an online guestbook.