William Lehman McKnight, 90, of Henderson passed away Dec. 12, 2022, at his home.
Funeral services will be 3 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15, at Shackelford Funeral Directors – Crook Avenue with Billy Smith, Robert Hatfield and Gary McKnight officiating.
The family will receive friends at Crook Avenue from 1-3 p.m. on Thursday.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Department of Music at Freed-Hardeman University.
He was born Jan. 2, 1932, in Strawberry, Ark., the son of the late William Leo and Lora Jane White McKnight. He moved to Flint, Michigan when he was eight years old. He graduated from Kearsley High School in Flint, Mich. He began working for General Motors Institute.
He married his high school sweetheart, Maurene Grimes on Feb. 27, 1951.
He joined the U.S. Navy from 1952 until 1956 and served as a sonar radar operator in Panama during the Korean War. After his service he returned to General Motors and worked for 44 years total, retiring in 1994.
He served as elder for the Swartz Creek Church of Christ in Michigan. After retiring they moved to Chandler, Ariz., and they made their home there for 22 years.
During this time, he served as an elder for the Alma School Road Church of Christ.
In 2016, he moved to Henderson, and they became members of the Henderson Church of Christ.
At the time of his passing, he and Maurene had been married for 71 years. He was an avid golfer, bowler and loved the University of Michigan Wolverines football team. He was a wonderful husband, dad and grandfather.
He is survived by his wife, Maurene Ouita Grimes McKnight of Henderson; a son, Gary Lee (Rosemary) McKnight of Henderson; one daughter, Tonya Renae (Doug) McKnight Maguffee of Flint, Mich.; seven grandchildren, Jonathan McKnight, Jason McKnight, Trey Ayers, Scott Ayers, Cameron Maguffee, Shaelyn Magufee and Keegan Maguffee; and eight great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Cheryl Ann Ayers; one brother, Roy Neil McKnight; and a sister, Lois Ima Lou McKnight Day.
