John Bradley Knight

John Bradley Knight, 72, of Wilmington, died Tuesday, August 30, 2011, after a courageous fight with Parkinson's Disease. Brad was born July 14, 1939 in Reading, PA, son of the late Katherine Nelson Herritage and Charles Louis Knight, II. He moved to North Carolina as a young child with his parents. He attended and graduated from Wilmington College and North Carolina State University where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. He proudly served his country in the United States Marine Corps as an officer and fighter pilot with the Marine-Navy Squadron VMF-225. Brad was stationed on the USS Enterprise and served as LSO of his squadron. He was attached to fighter pilot Reserve Squadron VMF-321 at Andrews Air Force Base. He was employed by United Airlines as a pilot and a flight manager in Chicago. He was founder and president of Carolina Coast Marine later to be Onslow Bay Boat Works. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his stepfather, Thomas M. Herritage of Wilmington, NC; stepmother, Frances Thompson Knight; and two brothers, Michael Thompson Knight and Charles Louis Knight, III, all of Portsmouth, VA. He is survived by his children, who were his life, Katherine Elizabeth Knight, John Bradley Knight, Jr. and Allison Hughes Knight Nilson David Nilson, USMC, all of Wilmington, NC; grandchildren, Lindsey Paige Knight, Spencer Bradley Knight, Joseph Fields Woodard, III, and Andrew Michael Nilson, all of Wilmington; former wife, Elizabeth Herron Knight of Nashville, TN; and many friends. The family will receive friends from 6pm to 8pm Friday, September 2, 2011 at Andrews Market Street Chapel. A funeral service will be 11am Saturday, September 3, 2011, at St. John's Episcopal Church with The Rev. Dr. Thomas C. Barnett officiating. Interment will follow at Oakdale Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Brad's name may be made to Lower Cape Fear Hospice, 1414 Physicians Drive, Wilmington, NC 28401, or to National Parkinson Foundation, Wilmington Support Group, c/o Peter Chamberlain, 8732 Sedgley Drive, Wilmington, NC 28412. The family wishes to thank Dr. Burton Scott, M.D. of Duke University Hospital, Dr. Susan Torres, M.D. of Wilmington, and the staff of Lower Cape Fear Hospice of Wilmington and Woodbury Wellness Center of Hampstead.