Jerry Lee Knight

Jerry Lee Knight was called home peacefully to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at the age of 79 years. Visitation will be held at 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Friday evening, December 19, 2025, at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 5901 East 135th Street, Grandview, MO. The funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, December 20, 2025, also at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church.

Jerry was born on July 25, 1946, the third child of Dean Edward and Wilma Eva (Garrett) Knight in rural LaMonte, MO. He always was proud to tell that he attended first grade at the one-room Dunksburg School. He spent the remainder of his elementary school years at the then newly-built Pettis County R-1 School. He was a 1964 graduate of Sweet Springs R-7 High School. The following school year he enrolled in an Auto Mechanics Program at U. S. Trade School in Kansas City, MO. A few years later he attended Aeromechanics School at the downtown Kansas City, MO, Municipal Airport, where he completed a 19-month Aeromechanics Course and earned his Aircraft and Powerplant License.

Jerry was an extremely gifted and highly skilled automotive technician (mechanic). He began his career in 1967 at Porter Chevrolet in Higginsville, MO, where he worked for a short time. He continued his career in Kansas City, MO, and worked at the same South Kansas City location for 36 years, which included four different Chevrolet dealerships: Jerry DeBacker, Hicks Brothers, Albright-Roberts, and Roberts. Due to the Grandview triangle highway project taking their South Kansas City property, Roberts moved the dealership to Raytown where Jerry finished the last eight years of his 44-year career. Jerry was highly motivated to learn and enrolled in every GM training course available through the years. He earned the GM Master Technician Award annually and was also an ASE Certified Technician. Jerry was the “go-to” GM technician for Kansas City area dealerships. In his retirement, Jerry continued doing what he enjoyed, repairing vehicles and lawn equipment for almost ten more years until Primary Progressive Aphasia/Frontotemporal Dementia robbed him of his abilities.

Jerry attended Mt. Zion (Disciples of Christ) Christian Church and Sunday School in Dunksburg with his family through his elementary school years. Baptized and confirmed in April of 1963 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Sweet Springs, MO, Jerry was a faithful member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (LCMS) in Grandview, MO, for nearly fifty years. Jerry served many years as a Trustee assisting with the lawn care and lawn equipment maintenance as well as building maintenance.

Shortly after Jerry’s retirement, he and Jennifer began participating in the KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s national dementia study cohort program. They have participated in many additional related studies through the last twelve years in an effort to help eradicate Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias.

Jerry was also a career military man. He joined the Missouri Army National Guard with the Marshall, MO, unit in December, 1966, and in 1980 he transferred to the United States Air Force Reserve, 442nd Fighter Wing Squadron, at Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base in Kansas City, MO. He retired as a Master Sergeant with 27 combined years of service in 1993.

Jerry enjoyed the children’s sports activities and also was active in Raymore Boy Scout Troop 32 with son, Travis, and assisted with daughter, Erika’s Girl Scout Troop as well.

Jerry married his high school sweetheart, Jennifer Lynn Wodrich, on March 2, 1968, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Sweet Springs, MO. They made their home in Blue Springs, MO, the first eight years of their marriage. In 1976, they moved to their current home in rural Cass County near Raymore, MO. Jerry was a farmer at heart, and he very much enjoyed their three plus acres. He was an avid gardener, growing his beloved sweet corn and a variety of other fruits and vegetables.

Jerry is survived by Jennifer, his wife of 57 years of rural Raymore; son, Travis D. Knight (Sarah); daughter, Erika E. Atcheson, four grandchildren, Addison, Bennett, and Tristan Knight and Eli Atcheson, all of Lee’s Summit, MO and brother, J. W. “Dub” Knight (Sharon) of Sweet Springs, MO, along with three nephews, four nieces, and other extended family.

Jerry is predeceased by his parents; daughter, Elisa Gretchen Knight; and son-in-law, Jason Mark Atcheson; sister, O. Margaret Knight; brother, Kenneth D. Knight and sister-in-law, Joyce Knight.

MEMORIALS

Instead of floral tributes, Memorial Contributions may be given in Jerry’s memory to KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, 4350 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Mail Stop 6002, Fairway, KS 66205 or through their website (https://www.kualzheimer.org).

Jerry’s family requests and encourages you to enroll in the KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Cohort Program in Jerry’s memory. Call 913-588-0555 for more information or to enroll. People with or without memory loss are needed to study the aging process.

Beginning in 2021, Jerry and Jennifer met monthly with a KU Neurology social worker where they received support and helpful resources to assist in coping with Jerry’s brain disease. One of her suggestions was creating small tasks enabling Jerry to have purpose in his life. As the subject of collecting pop tabs for Ronald McDonald House was mentioned, Jerry told her about one of our church member’s project of collecting tabs for Ronald McDonald House and how our Holy Trinity church family bring them to church for him. Jea, the KU Neurology social worker, put a container for collecting pop tabs in their KU Neurology Dept., and at each monthly session, she brought a large Ziploc bag of tabs for Jerry. Jerry was always very excited and anxious to give them to the young man at church.

When Jerry’s abilities further declined, he began popping tabs for Michael! Please consider saving pop tabs for Ronald McDonald House in Jerry’s memory. Saving pop tabs is something everyone can do! Call 816-842-8321 (Ext. 118) for drop-off locations in your area or check Ronald McDonald House Charities’ website (ronaldmcdonaldhousekc.org/pop-tabs/).