Floyd L. McKnight, Jr., 72, of Fitzgerald died Friday, June 4 at the Osceola Nursing Home in Ocilla.
Memorial services will be held 1 P.M. Saturday, June 26, 2010 at Central United Methodist Church with Rev. Keith Goodlett officiating. David M. Johnson, and John Bishop, III will give the eulogy.
Mr. McKnight was born October 4, 1937 in Ozark, Alabama to the late Floyd Lafayette McKnight and Elizabeth Tee Morgan McKnight. He was a 1955 graduate of Thomasville High School and attended Emory University. Mr. McKnight began work on his undergraduate degree in industrial arts at Auburn University where he met his wife. He interrupted his studies to enlist in the United States Navy, serving 2 years of active duty on board the USS Springfield CLG-7, homeport Villefranche, France and 4 years of inactive and was honorably discharged in 1966. Returning to Auburn University, Mr. McKnight completed his B.S. degree in industrial arts education in 1970. He later received his Master’s degree in Administration and Supervision of Vocational Education from Valdosta State University in 1983. Mr. McKnight moved to Fitzgerald in the 1970s after being hired as a drafting instructor at the former Ben Hill-Irwin Tech. His career climb continued in January 1984 having served as evening instructional coordinator and as Dean. He retired from East Central Technical College as the Director of Adult Literacy. Prior to his work in education he became a design draftsman for Darco Mfg. Co. in Thomasville and Miller Hydro Co. in Bainbridge and chief draftsman for City Water & Light Dept, in Thomasville. Mr. McKnight was an avid hunter and fisherman and, together with his wife, a lover of nature having been certified as land stewards by the Georgia Forestry Commission and the American Tree Farm System for their conservation work on their private land, The Golden Oak Tree, Turner County.
Mr. McKnight is survived by his wife: Martha Winston Martin McKnight of Fitzgerald; step-son: David Martin Johnson; and step-grandchildren: David Martin Johnson, Jr. and Sarah Danielle Johnson and their mother, Wendy Cable Johnson, all of Silva, NC: cousins: Linda L'poyner and Clyde Smith, MD of Thomasville and JoEllen Acheubach of Decatur. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his grandparents: Lucky Dowling and John Hampton Morgan of Osark, AL and Roxie Ann Williams and Thomas Dawson McKnight of Newton, AL.
The family suggests those desiring to send memorials in lieu of flowers may send them to the Central United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 428, Fitzgerald, GA 31750 or to the Fitzgerald-Ben Hill Humane Society, 106 Lions Park Road, Fitzgerald, GA 31750.