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Friends, family remember Dave Knight

Lockport Union-Sun & Journal - 3/25/2017

March 25--If you ask those who knew David H. Knight what he was like, a few key words come to mind.

"Committed," "dedicated" and "full of service" are words used to describe the family man, former English teacher, coach, town councilman, Army veteran and Legionnaire.

Knight, 80, died Wednesday at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital following a long battle with cancer.

Despite his sickness over the past years, Knight still made his best efforts to attend funerals for close friends, younger brother Ron Knight said Friday.

"He had a strong commitment to his friends," Ron said. "He did the best he could to attend funerals -- he cared about the people he loved."

Both brothers attended Lockport High School. Dave was a graduate of the class of 1955 and a varsity athlete who played football, baseball and basketball.

"He was a good athlete," Ron said.

Ron recalled a football game in his brother's senior year when Ron, a sophomore, was moved up to varsity.

"I remember telling the head coach that I wouldn't play unless my brother went in before me," Ron said.

One of the other Lockport players was injured on the field, and the coaches put Dave in.

"He took off and ran 60 or 70 yards -- almost a touchdown," Ron said.

Knight served in the U.S. Army, completing his military service as a Specialist E-5 and Company Clerk with the National Guard Unit in 1960.

He was very involved with the American Legion, serving as two-time commander of the B. Leo Dolan Post 410 in Lockport.

"His support of the military was outstanding," Ron said. "Like everything else, he was committed to the American Legion."

From the B. Leo Dolan Post, Knight received the Medal of Merit Award in 2007, the Legionnaire of the Year Award in 2008 and the Life Membership Award in 2012.

Knight graduated from Buffalo State Teacher's College in 1959, and later earned his master's degree in education there.

He was a teacher for 33 years, beginning in 1960 at Starpoint Central School District, teaching fifth grade.In 1962, he began working at North Park Junior High school as a reading teacher and a specialist, until his retirement in 1992.

Michael Lombardi, a fellow member of the B. Leo Dolan post, had Knight for a seventh grade teacher at North Park.

"He was very patriotic," Lombardi said.

Former Lockport High School athletic director Pat Burke had Knight as a basketball coach at North Park.

"I played for him for one year in 1973," Burke said.

Burke said that he considers Knight to have been a tough, "old-school" coach.

"He worked you very hard, he was super organized, and he always had a game plan for practices and games," Burke said.

Knight's coaching led his team to a 31-game winning streak over three seasons from '71 to '73, Burke added.

When Burke took over as athletic director for the high school and started the LHS Athletics Hall of Fame, he reached out to Knight to become a member of the committee.

"He was a huge asset to the Hall of Fame Committee -- he was very knowledgeable about players from back in the day," Burke said. "I can't thank him enough for that."

"He was just a dedicated man -- to his students, his country, his community, his family," Burke said, adding, "If he was going to do something, you knew he was all in."

Knight was named as a Lockport High School Distinguished Alumnus in 2014.

Lockport High School Foundation president Gracie Scirto called Knight "an all-around good guy."

"Dave was a very caring individual who gave his all for his students and was always willing to help them achieve their goals," Scirto said. "He cared about the veterans and did all he could to help them out."

Knight also served on Lockport's town planning board and was elected for two terms as a Lockport town councilman.

Former Lockport town supervisor Marc Smith, who worked with Knight when he was on the board, called him a "passionate servant for the town of Lockport."

"He personally helped me on many occasions," Smith said. "He was the driving force behind the bikeway pathways plan and many of our current zoning rules and laws."

"I will miss him greatly," Smith added.

Knight also served for 10 years as a member of Lockport Memorial Hospital's board. He was a member of the Niagara County Historical Society, on the Erie Canal Task Force and a member of the Elks Lodge 41 and the Lockport United Church of Christ.

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(c)2017 the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal (Lockport, N.Y.)

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