Thomas Spencer Knight Jr.

Thomas S. Knight, Jr. died peacefully at his Greenwich, CT home Sunday morning shortly after midnight. Knight was born in Rochester, NY on May 9, 1930. He graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1948 and went on to Princeton University graduating in 1952. Shortly thereafter he travelled to Europe where he met his future wife of forty-eight years, Kathleen Craig, while they waited together in line to collect mail at the American Express office in Paris. He served his country in Korea during the War as a 2nd lieutenant in the United States Army with the 555th Field Artillery Battalion. Upon his return from active duty he began a career in advertising with Young & Rubicam in New York, where he was as an account executive for over twenty years ultimately retiring from advertising with the firm E. B. Wilson. In addition he was a board member of PNC New England Bank. An avid hunter, fisherman, and golfer, Knight pursued those hobbies throughout his life and was on the Board of Directors of the Round Hill Club and the Trout and Salmon Foundation. Knight dedicated his time to several charitable organizations including St. James Church in Manhattan where he served on the vestry and became president of the Rector's Council, Portsmouth Abbey School where he was a member of the Board of Regents, the United Way of Greenwich, and the YMCA of Greenwich. His greatest philanthropic passion was Orbis International which he co-founded with Dr. David Paton. From its humble origins in a few spare offices in Young & Rubicam's Madison Avenue headquarters, Orbis has gone on to provide ophthalmological training to three hundred twenty-five thousand medical professionals in ninety-two countries and saved the vision of twenty-five million people around the globe. Knight is survived by his wife, his four sons, T. Spencer Knight III, George C. Knight, James E. Knight, and Peter A. Knight as well as their wives Patricia, Meghan, Alison and Samantha, along with his twelve grandchildren. Friends and family may call on Thursday, May 8th, 2014 from 4PM - 7PM at the Leo P. Gallagher & Son Funeral Home - 31 Arch Street Greenwich, CT. Funeral service will be held on Friday, May 9th, 2014 at 11AM at St. Michael's Parish - 469 North Street, Greenwich, CT. The family has requested in lieu of flowers that donations be sent to Orbis International at www.orbis.org. If you wish to leave an online condolence please visit http://www.leopgallaghergreenwich.com/