Charles Autry Knight, 80, of Florence died on April 22, 2017 in Moulton. Born Nov. 14, 1936 in Franklin County, he was the son of the late Effie Hovater Knight and the late Woodrow Knight. In addition to working his father’s land, at age 16 he rented a field in the Leighton area, where the family was then living, and raised a small crop of cotton to earn bus fare to Miami, Florida. In south Florida, he worked at Miami Tobacco and Candy Company and developed a passion for the distribution industry, eventually owning both wholesale and retail businesses in Florida, Georgia and Alabama. His last business was Service Wholesale Company in Muscle Shoals. “Mister Charlie,” as many of his customers affectionately called him, was known throughout his career for his generous, enthusiastic and energetic customer service. While attending church in Florida, he also met Mariann Chapman of Lewisburg, Tennessee. They married in April 1957. She helped him run his businesses and, together, they raised three children in a Christian home during their marriage of 60 years.
Charles was a member of the Helton Drive Church of Christ in Florence.
He is survived by his wife, Mariann; his sons, Ronnie (Karen) of Florence and Craig (Julie) of Athens; daughter, Lisa LeBon of Madison; grandchildren, Amy Van Fleet (Andrew) of Phelan, California, Melissa Cosgray (Michael) of Madison, Elizabeth Guthrie (Blake) of Pelham, Kelly Young (Matthew) of Madison, Rhiannon Knight and Jonathan Knight of Athens; great-grandchildren, Kate Young and Dylan Cosgray of Madison, Ethan Van Fleet of Phelan, California; sisters Janice Alter, Ruth Faust, Linda Graves, Estelle Krieglow and Gloria Watts and brother, Roy Thomas Knight; many nieces and nephews, including David (Tessa) Knight of Muscle Shoals, who helped him with his business in later years; and scores of friends and business associates.
He was the eldest of the 12 children of Effie and Woodrow Knight and was preceded in death by his parents and by brothers, Jack, Bob, Richard, Delmer and Michael.
The family received friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, April 24, 2017 at Spry-Williams Funeral Home on Helton Drive in Florence. Funeral services will be today, April 25, 2017 at 1 p.m. at Spry-Williams with Ken Chapman officiating. Interment will be in Duncan Creek cemetery in Franklin, County.
