Robert Boyd McKnight

Robert Boyd McKnight 89, of Clinton, Ark. passed away Thursday, Aug. 6, 2015. He was born Jan. 16, 1926 in Clinton, Ark. to Cowan William and Martha Jane (Crownover) McKnight and was the eighth of their 10 children. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife Ida Marie McKnight, his brothers Howard, Fred, Elbert, and Olen McKnight, his sisters Erma Steele, May Ferguson, and Billie Newborn, and nephews Tom Steele and George Stephens Jr. After graduating from Clinton State Vocational Training School (Clinton High School), Bob served in the Army in the final years of World War II, and following the war, he returned to Arkansas and attended the University of Arkansas before transferring to Arkansas A & M in Monticello where he earned a degree in forestry. Bob's career in the timber industry took him to Idaho and Montana. While living in Bozeman, Mont., he met and married Ida Marie Hubbard who had two teenaged daughters, Margie and Linda, and they became a family. After retiring from their careers, Bob and Ida began spending the winter months in Clinton and the other half of the year in beautiful Montana, where Bob enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, traveling, and other hobbies. They designed and built their retirement home together near where Bob grew up on the family farm in Clinton, and several years ago they decided to live in this home year-round. Bob and Ida enjoyed sharing hospitality in their home with family and friends, both in Montana and Clinton. Surviving Bob are his sisters, Fairy Stephens of Heber Springs and Betty Bradford of Glendale, Ariz., brother-in-law Travis Newborn of Waukegan, Ill., sister-in-law Twyla McKnight of Brentwood, Tenn., as well as Ida's daughters Margie Hubbard and Linda Davies (Roger) of Yuba City, Calif., and four grandchildren Leo Hubbard (Annette) of Spokane, Wash., Chris Davies of British Columbia, and Sara and Alan Davies of California, and one great-grandson, Brandon Hubbard of Florida. Also surviving Bob are his nephews Howard McKnight Jr. of Sanford, N.C., Dr. Bill McKnight of Rogers, Jerry Ferguson of Phoenix, Ariz., Mark McKnight of Highland Village, Texas, Roger McKnight of Memphis, Tenn., Randy McKnight of Brentwood, Tenn., and Carlton Bradford of Tucson, Ariz. His nieces include Phyllis Peters of Charlotte, N.C., Annette Lewis of Ashland, Ore., Dr. Marty Chinnery of Corpus Christi, Texas, Lynn Beatty of Conway, Kathleen Sanchez of Omaha, Neb., Joyce Patterson of Clinton, Debra Jones and Brenda Ziegler of Phoenix, Ariz., and Melissa Pankiewicz of Beach Park, Ill., as well as their children and grandchildren, and many cousins. Bob made friends wherever he lived and they will miss him as well, with special recognition of his life-long childhood friend, Chris Halbrook of Red Bluff, Calif. Following the death of his wife, the highlight of Bob's day had become sharing lunch with his good friends at the Senior Center in Clinton. His family wishes to thank the doctors and nursing staff of the Palliative Care Unit of McClellan Veterans Administration Hospital for the care and comfort they gave Bob in his final week of life. To honor, remember, and celebrate the life of Bob McKnight, a memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 7, at Roller-McNutt Funeral Home Chapel in Clinton. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. All of Bob's friends and family are invited to attend. Cremation arrangements are under the care and direction of Roller-McNutt Funeral Home of Clinton, Ark. Online guest book: www.rollerfuneralhomes.com.