Obituary for Matthew "Nick" Knight
Matthew Leon Knight Sr., better known as “Nick” to his family and friends was born in Crewe Virginia on January 6, 1937, to the late James Edward Knight and Ruth Fowlkes-Knight. Nick had 10 siblings, six brothers Robert, Warren, Alvin, Sherman, Harry, James Jr. and four sisters, Ida, Dorothy, Barbara, and Dallas. He received his education in the Nottoway school system and often delighted in the lessons that he learned from his mother and father in his formative years. He left Crewe at an early age and worked on the railroad. His employment allowed him to see other cities in Virginia, West Virginia, and Baltimore. Decades later he often reminisced about his experiences and lessons learned on the railroad. He said his mother taught him that experience was the best teacher, and he lived by this golden rule.
Nick married Kate Parker who preceded him in death. They relocated to New York City where they resided for almost forty years. Out of that union was three sons, Ronald who preceded him in death, Roger, and Matthew. Nick worked as a professional painter at the Endicott Hotel in New York and was good at his craft. He retired from the New York City Housing Authority in 1998 and had his dream house built on the Knight property in Crewe Virginia. He said goodbye to New York and hello to a life of fishing, chopping wood, and driving his truck instead of riding the New York City subway. Upon returning to Crewe, he began attending Sunday service at Union Baptist Church.
Nick spent his later years in Amelia Rehab and took pride in knowing all the business in Crewe before anybody else. The staff enjoyed stopping by and conversing with him and giving him the latest gossip. Nick became a real talker as he aged. He was sure to tell them what he thought and didn’t hold back. He took pride in his beautiful granddaughter and his sons. He hoped that he would be able to regain strength to return home so he could build a second house. God had another plan and he allowed Nick to slip away peacefully on February 18, 2021. He often told his family with tears in his eyes, “God has been so good to me”. Although he acknowledged the goodness of God, he said that he declined the offer to join the nursing home choir, they weren’t ready for his melodious voice.
Nick was known as a no non-sense man, but many didn’t know the sensitive side that would bring him to tears when hearing a rendition of Amazing Grace.
Nick leaves to cherish his memory two sons, Roger Knight (Deborah) of Brooklyn New York and Matthew Knight Jr. (Jacqueline) of Cookstown New Jersey, granddaughters, Ciara Knight, Natasha Wilson and Caitlyne Gomez, adopted son, James Ellis of Georgia, two sisters: Barbara Faulk of Crewe Va., and Dallas Lewis of Ft. Washington Md., a brother, Warren Knight Sr. of Philadelphia Pa., sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews and a host of relatives and friends.
Viewing Saturday, February 27, 2021 from 10 to 11 AM.
Funeral Services Saturday, February 27, 2021 at 12:00 PM at W.E. Hawkes & Son Funeral Home Chapel, Blackstone. Interment Knight Family Cemetery, Crewe.
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Nick married Kate Parker who preceded him in death. They relocated to New York City where they resided for almost forty years. Out of that union was three sons, Ronald who preceded him in death, Roger, and Matthew. Nick worked as a professional painter at the Endicott Hotel in New York and was good at his craft. He retired from the New York City Housing Authority in 1998 and had his dream house built on the Knight property in Crewe Virginia. He said goodbye to New York and hello to a life of fishing, chopping wood, and driving his truck instead of riding the New York City subway. Upon returning to Crewe, he began attending Sunday service at Union Baptist Church.
Nick spent his later years in Amelia Rehab and took pride in knowing all the business in Crewe before anybody else. The staff enjoyed stopping by and conversing with him and giving him the latest gossip. Nick became a real talker as he aged. He was sure to tell them what he thought and didn’t hold back. He took pride in his beautiful granddaughter and his sons. He hoped that he would be able to regain strength to return home so he could build a second house. God had another plan and he allowed Nick to slip away peacefully on February 18, 2021. He often told his family with tears in his eyes, “God has been so good to me”. Although he acknowledged the goodness of God, he said that he declined the offer to join the nursing home choir, they weren’t ready for his melodious voice.
Nick was known as a no non-sense man, but many didn’t know the sensitive side that would bring him to tears when hearing a rendition of Amazing Grace.
Nick leaves to cherish his memory two sons, Roger Knight (Deborah) of Brooklyn New York and Matthew Knight Jr. (Jacqueline) of Cookstown New Jersey, granddaughters, Ciara Knight, Natasha Wilson and Caitlyne Gomez, adopted son, James Ellis of Georgia, two sisters: Barbara Faulk of Crewe Va., and Dallas Lewis of Ft. Washington Md., a brother, Warren Knight Sr. of Philadelphia Pa., sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews and a host of relatives and friends.
Viewing Saturday, February 27, 2021 from 10 to 11 AM.
Funeral Services Saturday, February 27, 2021 at 12:00 PM at W.E. Hawkes & Son Funeral Home Chapel, Blackstone. Interment Knight Family Cemetery, Crewe.
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