Elaine Walker Knight passed away Monday, July 15. She was born in McRae, Ga., to Paul and Annie Walker. She began her career as a nurse at Brunswick Memorial Hospital, and then spent more than 20 years working for Dr. Edwin Mayo. She left nursing behind, and joined her husband as co-owner and operator of Knight’s Seafood. She was a long-time ambassador for the seafood industry, and served in many capacities over the next three decades, including numerous state DNR Fisheries panels and committees. She served the maximum allowed three terms on the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council, several terms on the Georgia Shrimp Association as both vice president and secretary. She was the founding director and first president of the Wild American Shrimp Inc. Board, and past president of the Southern Shrimp Alliance. She had a long relationship with the Sea Grant College Program at both the state and national levels, including many years on the Sea Grant Assessment Team, and two terms on the esteemed National Sea Grant Review Board. Among the many honors she received, she took the most pride in receiving the Distinguished Service Award from the University of Georgia. She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Robert Earl Knight; her children, George (Cindy) Knight, Denesha Summers, Susan (Richard) Vendetti and Robin Knight; 16 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; two brothers, Jerry (Merlene) Walker and Charles (Sandra) Walker; and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents; five siblings; and two grandchildren, Mary Gail Summers and Richard “Beau” Vendetti.
The funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, July 19, at St. Francis Xavier Church, with a reception to follow in the parish hall. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Francis Xavier School.
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