George W. McKnight, Jr.

McKNIGHT, George W. Jr., 92, entered into rest Monday, February 22, 2016. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Mary Kearney; sisters, Peggy Sherry, Barbara Gardner and Jane Bessette; and brothers, Jimmy, John and Peter McKnight. George McKnight grew up in Pawtucket Rhode Island the eldest boy of ten siblings. He played football and basketball spending the summers on the Rhode Island shore. He served in the U.S. Navy in the OSS Office of Strategic Services during World War II. He attended college at UNC Chapel Hill and graduated from Providence College in Rhode Island. His love of reading and learning lead him into a life long career of teaching. He was a creative and inspiring teacher with several students remaining in contact with him over their life times. He taught fifth grade students at Fulford Elementary and adults at Lindsey Hopkins Technical Collage teaching English as a second language. He never stopped teaching his family and friends to enjoy life and love each other. Although a Rhode Islander by birth, George loved Florida and moved with his wife Kathryn McKnight in 1952 and raised three girls in Miami and then eventually moving to Tampa in 2009. Although residing in Florida his attachment to his siblings resulted annual sojourns with his wife and girls in tow every summer to Rhode Island. He enjoyed golf, cigars the great food his wife Kathryn cooked and above all being with family. He was a devout Catholic and served in the Knights of Columbus. He has a brilliant sense of humor and will be painfully missed by all who's life he touched. Survivors include his loving wife of 64 years, Kathryn Ann McKnight; daughters, Bridget Towey and husband, Mark, and Margo McKnight; sisters, Agnes Bisset and husband, Dave, and Mae Beth McCormick; brother, Graham McKnight; and grandchildren, Caitlin and John Towey and Elizabeth Kearney. A Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated, 10 a.m., Friday, February 26, 2016 at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, 9724 Cross Creek Blvd., Tampa. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in George’s memory to the Knights of Columbus http://www.kofc.org/un/en/charities/uic_donate.html. Words of comfort may be expressed at www.blountcurryterraceoaks.com.