A memorial service for will be Thursday, April 11, at 3 p.m. at First Baptist Church Hartselle. A graveside service will follow at Hartselle Cemetery. Visitation will be at the church from 1 to 3 p.m.
Mr. Knight passed away April 7, 2024, at Decatur Morgan Hospital surrounded by his family. He was born July 21, 1935, in Clay County, Alabama, 2 miles southeast of Lineville in a farm tenant’s house. He grew up working hard on the family farm until he graduated from Lineville High School in 1953 and joined the United States Air Force. He was extremely proud of his service to his country and was honorably discharged in 1960. While stationed in Alaska he courted the ‘hometown girl from Lineville who caught his eye from a cotton field’ Geanell Bradford and they were married on July 10, 1955. After Alaska he was stationed at Walker Air Force Base in Roswell, New Mexico.
After his military service he attended the University of Alabama on the GI Bill and obtained his B.A. degree in print media journalism in 1961. Knight started his newspaper career in the Aberdeen Mississippi Examiner for eight months before moving to Hartselle with his family and assuming the position of associate editor of the Hartselle Enquirer. Four years later he was named plant editor for Monsanto Company in Decatur and worked on that job for four years. He returned to the Enquirer as editor and part-owner in January 1970 and served in that capacity until the paper was sold to Boone Newspaper, Inc. in March 1998. He remained on staff as editor until he stepped down in July 2000 to run for mayor of Hartselle. After serving as mayor he returned to the newspaper in September 2014 as a staff writer. He retired in June, 2016, after logging in 48 years with the Hartselle Enquirer and more than 52 years as a newspaper editor, photographer and part-owner.
He was recognized as an award winning writer for news and editorial content on numerous occasions. His “One Man’s Opinion” column garnered a first place award among Alabama’s largest weekly and semi-weekly newspapers in the 1960s. In addition, he received the George Washington Honor Medal Award from the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge for editorial writing in the ‘Spinerette’ in support of free enterprise and the American way of life. His most recent accomplishment was being inducted into the Morgan County Sports Hall of Fame for his lifetime coverage with sports in Hartselle and Morgan County. The focal point of his newspaper career was having the opportunity to write about the people of Hartselle and Morgan County and their accomplishments. There was always a story to be told.
The tenets of his journalism career were always be truthful and to give both sides of the story.
Mr. Knight was an active member of First Baptist Church in Hartselle for more than 60 years. The most important time in his life was accepting Christ as his Savior as a 13 year old farm boy. He tried to follow Christ’s example and His love and compassion for other people all his life.
There was nothing in life more important than his family. He was always actively involved in his granddaughters’ and great-granddaughter’s activities and their adventures were often featured in his weekly column in the newspaper. Many times his children and granddaughters went to him to take advantage of his wisdom. He always knew the right words of encouragement. He loved Alabama sports and always looked forward to ‘football Saturday’ at his daughter’s house. He enjoyed fishing and working in his garden, he was an avid gardener. Words cannot express how much he will be missed by his family. He also loved Hartselle and after moving here in 1961 never considered leaving to live any other place.
Mr. Knight was preceded in death by his parents, Ermon Gay and Ruby Kate Knight and a brother, Billy Knight.
Mr. Knight is survived by his wife of 68 years, Geanell; one daughter, Pamela Gray (Jeff) of Hartselle; two sons, Steve Knight of Huntsville and Clif Knight (Renee) of Decatur; three granddaughters, Brandi Gray of Hartselle, Amber Fullerton (Justin) of Hartselle and Meaghan Hill (Joseph) of Hartselle; great granddaughter Layla Fullerton; three brothers, George Knight, David Knight and Barry Knight; two sisters, Annelle Pogue and Sherre Morris.
Pallbearers will be Jeff Gray, Justin Fullerton, Joseph Hill, Richard Greenhill, John Griffin and Billy Bradford. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Richard Greenhill Men’s Sunday School Class at First Baptist Church Hartselle.
