Family Card - Person Sheet
Family Card - Person Sheet
NameKarl Frederick Knight 
Birth3 Jul 1930, Statesville, Iredell County, NC
Death6 Apr 2017
FatherHill Knight (1887-1965)
MotherJessie Pauline Eagle (1892-1967)
Spouses
Marriage20 Dec 1959
ChildrenMeg
Charlie
Notes for Karl Frederick Knight
Karl Frederick Knight
Karl Frederick Knight of Norfolk, VA passed away April 6, 2017 at the age of 86. Born on July 3, 1930 in Statesville NC to Jessie Eagle and Hill Knight, Karl was the youngest of 8. Raised by a single mother and his older sisters Becky and Mary Helen especially, along with Nan, Annabel, and Frankie.
Older brothers Jim and Bob both served in the Air Force during the Korean War as did Karl, who was a communications specialist based in Japan. He was the last surviving sibling.
Following the war, he studied initially at the local school in Statesville – Mitchell College – before earning his BA and MA degrees at UNC Chapel Hill, graduating with Phi Beta Kappa honors. Later he completed his doctoral studies at Emory University in Atlanta where he met his bride-to-be Betty Jean Walker of Mount Vernon GA, a fellow Doctoral candidate in English. Jean passed away last year at the age of 87.
In 1962 they settled in Norfolk VA when Karl joined the English faculty at Old Dominion University where together they raised two children. Over his 30 year career, he touched many lives in the community. He retired as the Director of Graduate Studies in English and published numerous critical writings on the works of authors Saul Bellow, William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway and Herman Melville among others.
Our father was a man of strong principles and great integrity who was equally warm and approachable. He enjoyed and respected people from all walks of life and offered compassion with ease and grace.
Karl was an avid sportsman. A regular at Fergus Reid tennis courts, he took pleasure in competition of any sort – be it poker night, a family scrabble game, or a friendly round at Ocean View Golf Course. He was a champion Trivial Pursuit player at the old Master's Pub in Ghent. Later in life, he instigated ferocious battles of backyard croquet, inspiring future generations to carry on the tradition.
Family vacations were often spent at the Outer Banks in pursuit of a bluefish run or camping and paddling local rivers with the Float Fishermen of Virginia local chapter, the Old Farts.
In the end, Karl fell victim to the same disease that stole years from Jean. We are grateful that his passing was more swift and hold them both in our hearts forever.
Karl is survived by daughter Meg and son-in-law Agim Zabeli of Norfolk VA, and son Charlie Knight of Richmond VA. Additionally he is survived by grandchildren Michael Jennifer and husband Steve Scannapieco, Laura Walker Zabeli, and John-Walker Knight as well as great grandsons Wesley and Finn Zabeli and Ellis Vincent Scannapieco.
The family would like to express its deepest gratitude to the staff of the memory care unit at The Ballantine in Norfolk and the Bon Secours hospice care team for their personal and loving attention during his final months of life. In addition, we are grateful for the kindness and care of Dorothy Baldwin who assisted with home care over the last two years.
A small private celebration will be planned in the near future. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association.
Karl Frederick Knight of Norfolk, VA passed away April 6, 2017 at the age of 86. Born on July 3, 1930 in Statesville NC to Jessie Eagle and Hill Knight, Karl was the youngest of 8. Raised by a single mother and his older sisters Becky and Mary Helen especially, along with Nan, Annabel, and Frankie.
Older brothers Jim and Bob both served in the Air Force during the Korean War as did Karl, who was a communications specialist based in Japan. He was the last surviving sibling.
Following the war, he studied initially at the local school in Statesville – Mitchell College – before earning his BA and MA degrees at UNC Chapel Hill, graduating with Phi Beta Kappa honors. Later he completed his doctoral studies at Emory University in Atlanta where he met his bride-to-be Betty Jean Walker of Mount Vernon GA, a fellow Doctoral candidate in English. Jean passed away last year at the age of 87.
In 1962 they settled in Norfolk VA when Karl joined the English faculty at Old Dominion University where together they raised two children. Over his 30 year career, he touched many lives in the community. He retired as the Director of Graduate Studies in English and published numerous critical writings on the works of authors Saul Bellow, William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway and Herman Melville among others.
Our father was a man of strong principles and great integrity who was equally warm and approachable. He enjoyed and respected people from all walks of life and offered compassion with ease and grace.
Karl was an avid sportsman. A regular at Fergus Reid tennis courts, he took pleasure in competition of any sort – be it poker night, a family scrabble game, or a friendly round at Ocean View Golf Course. He was a champion Trivial Pursuit player at the old Master's Pub in Ghent. Later in life, he instigated ferocious battles of backyard croquet, inspiring future generations to carry on the tradition.
Family vacations were often spent at the Outer Banks in pursuit of a bluefish run or camping and paddling local rivers with the Float Fishermen of Virginia local chapter, the Old Farts.
In the end, Karl fell victim to the same disease that stole years from Jean. We are grateful that his passing was more swift and hold them both in our hearts forever.
Karl is survived by daughter Meg and son-in-law Agim Zabeli of Norfolk VA, and son Charlie Knight of Richmond VA. Additionally he is survived by grandchildren Michael Jennifer and husband Steve Scannapieco, Laura Walker Zabeli, and John-Walker Knight as well as great grandsons Wesley and Finn Zabeli and Ellis Vincent Scannapieco.
The family would like to express its deepest gratitude to the staff of the memory care unit at The Ballantine in Norfolk and the Bon Secours hospice care team for their personal and loving attention during his final months of life. In addition, we are grateful for the kindness and care of Dorothy Baldwin who assisted with home care over the last two years.
A small private celebration will be planned in the near future. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association.