BEAVER, Okla. - Winfield
"Windy" L. KNIGHT, 81, died Wednesday, December 18, 2002.
Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. today in Beaver United Methodist
Church with John Breon, pastor, and Dan Carter officiating. Arrangements
are by Clark Funeral Service.
Mr. KNIGHT was born September 18, 1921, in Beaver County to George Lewis
and Goldie Burk KNIGHT. Growing up on the family farm, Windy graduated
from Beaver High School in 1941. Following graduation he entered the
armed services, serving as an army paratrooper in World War II. He
parachuted with the 508th Battalion of the 82nd Airborne into Normandy
on D-Day and received a Purple Heart for a broken leg.
Following the war, Windy returned to Beaver County to marry Claudine
COTHRAN on August 11, 1946, in Beaver United Methodist Church. In a much
varied career Windy was a truck driver, farmer, rancher and road
construction worker, finally retiring as a longtime employee of the
Bureau of Mines, Amarillo Helium Operations.
Windy was a virtual jack-of-all-trades and master of many. He was a good
and honest husband, father, grandfather and friend. He was a faithful
member of the Methodist Church for more than 40 years.
He was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters, Euna Faye, Wanda
and Pauline; and two brothers, Darwin and Glen.
Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Diane BIM and husband, Brian,
of Amarillo, Texas, and Denise CARTER and husband, Dan, of Morton,
Texas; a son, Roger KNIGHT and wife, Kathy, of Amarillo; six
grandchildren, Brett BIM, Mandi GARCIA, Kari BRACE, Maggi PERKINS, Kacy
BROWN and Cade CARTER; and a great-granddaughter.
The family suggests memorials be to Beaver United Methodist Church; or a
favorite charity.
(Published in The Amarillo Globe-News (TX),
December 20, 2002.) |
(courtesy of Donna
Barnes)
Grave markers for Winfield
L. Knight in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Balko (Beaver county), Oklahoma.
Winfield enlisted in the
Army at Oklahoma City, OK on 1 October 1942.
On 29 October 1942 Pvt
Knight was transferred from the Ft Sill, OK Reception Center to Company
B, 508th PIR at Camp Blanding , FL.
Pvt Knight was promoted to
Pfc on 5 January 1943 and appointed to the grade of Corporal on 24 April
1943. Cpl Knight was promoted to Sgt on 10 November 1943.
Sgt Knight was listed as
seriously injured in action as of 14 June 44 and was transferred to the
74th General Hospital. On 27 September 1944 he to an unknown
hospital and did not return to the regiment. Based on an entry in
his obituary, at left, he suffered a badly broken leg. |