FORT WORTH — Longtime Fort Worth attorney Ronald Gary Knight died peacefully Wednesday, May 30, 2012, losing a long battle with cancer and the complications of a transplant. Memorial service: 2 p.m. Thursday, June 7, at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 917 Lamar St., Fort Worth, with the Very Rev. William McKeachie officiating. Interment: A graveside service will be held in Odessa at a time yet to be determined. Friends may call on the family at 1 p.m. Thursday. Memorials: The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Ronald G. Knight Memorial Fund for Bone Marrow Research and Transplant Patient Support, in care of Edward Agura, M.D., Baylor University Cancer Hospital, 3410 Worth St., Suite 300, Dallas, Texas 75246. Mr. Knight was born Nov. 26, 1947, in Odessa, the grandson of Odessa pioneers Guy and Ruth Anderson. He was a 1966 graduate of Permian High School. He received a B.A. in history and government in 1970 and a J.D. in 1973, both from the University of Texas at Austin. He was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. Mr. Knight was a Christian who believed in living his faith in service to others. He served Texas in many capacities. Early in his career, he was an assistant district attorney in Tarrant County, where he assisted in the Cullen Davis trial. He also served in the Texas Attorney General’s Office as a deputy attorney general in the oil and gas division and then as chief of the consumer protection division. After years in private practice, Mr. Knight returned to pubic service in Tarrant County as an associate judge and then as an assistant district attorney working in the area of mental health. Ronnie was a devoted and loving father, brother and uncle. His passions were family, history, movies and, especially, Permian High School and Texas Longhorn football. He was a member of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Fort Worth. His parents, Lucille Anderson Templeton, Richard Garland Knight and Charles A. Templeton, preceded him in death. Survivors: Son, William Anderson Knight of Fort Worth; brothers, Richard Rush Knight and sister-in-law, Peggy Knight, of Missouri City, Joel Knight of Hampstead, N.C., and Charles A. Templeton II of Arlington; sister, Laurie Knight Belangia of Greenville, N.C.; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, colleagues and friends.
22 Responses
Our hearts are grieving. Our condolences to everyone among family and friends.
Bellinda & Barney
Goodnight, Good Knight RGK
~Scottish Blessing
Be ye our angel unawares
If after Kirk yec bide a wee,
There’s some would like to speak to ye,
If after Kirk ye rise and flee
We’ all seem cauld and still to ye.
The one that’s in the seat with ye
Is stranger here than ye, maybe.
All here have got their fears and cares,
Add ye your soul unto our prayers,
Be ye our angel unawares.
Our hearts are grieving. Our condolences to everyone among family and friends.
Bellinda & Barney
Goodnight, Good Knight RGK
~Scottish Blessing
Be ye our angel unawares
If after Kirk yec bide a wee,
There’s some would like to speak to ye,
If after Kirk ye rise and flee
We’ all seem cauld and still to ye.
The one that’s in the seat with ye
Is stranger here than ye, maybe.
All here have got their fears and cares,
Add ye your soul unto our prayers,
Be ye our angel unawares.
Rusty and Charlie,
Ronnie will continue to live in your hearts, as you treasure each memory of all y’all shared together in life. May these precious memories bring smiles to your faces and joy to your hearts. God bless and keep both of you protected in His arms.
Love,
Pat Ray
Rusty and Charlie,
Ronnie will continue to live in your hearts, as you treasure each memory of all y’all shared together in life. May these precious memories bring smiles to your faces and joy to your hearts. God bless and keep both of you protected in His arms.
Love,
Pat Ray
Ronnie was a true Texas gentleman. He exemplified a steadfast Christian approach to his family, friends, and profession. I was deeply saddened to hear of his passing. I will pray for you in this time. He will be sorely missed.
Ronnie was a true Texas gentleman. He exemplified a steadfast Christian approach to his family, friends, and profession. I was deeply saddened to hear of his passing. I will pray for you in this time. He will be sorely missed.
Ronnie was my first cousin. I remember playing with him and Rusty at the feed store in Odessa. He came all the way to Oregon to my wedding 5 years ago; I can’t begin to say how much that meant to me. A kind, caring, funny, gentle man–such a loss.
Ronnie was my first cousin. I remember playing with him and Rusty at the feed store in Odessa. He came all the way to Oregon to my wedding 5 years ago; I can’t begin to say how much that meant to me. A kind, caring, funny, gentle man–such a loss.
Ronnie and Rusty were among the first kids we met when our family moved to Odessa from Dallas. We stayed in Guy Anderson’s home while we waited for our house to be completed. We went through school together and although we had not been close throughout our lives I have always considered Ronnie and Rusty to be friends. We are saddened by Ronnie’s passing and know Rusty is grieving as only a sibling can grieve. Our hearts go out to Ronnie’s son and family,
Becky and Mike Morris
Tom Payne
Ronnie and Rusty were among the first kids we met when our family moved to Odessa from Dallas. We stayed in Guy Anderson’s home while we waited for our house to be completed. We went through school together and although we had not been close throughout our lives I have always considered Ronnie and Rusty to be friends. We are saddened by Ronnie’s passing and know Rusty is grieving as only a sibling can grieve. Our hearts go out to Ronnie’s son and family,
Becky and Mike Morris
Tom Payne
Gary and I were both so sorry to hear of Rusty’s passing. He was a gentle and good man, and we will miss him. Our condolences to all of the family.
Julie and Gary Stillwell
Gary and I were both so sorry to hear of Rusty’s passing. He was a gentle and good man, and we will miss him. Our condolences to all of the family.
Julie and Gary Stillwell
Words can’t describe how saddened I am by Ronnie’s passing. I will miss him and his stories more than he probably could ever have imagined. Prayers being sent to his family.
Words can’t describe how saddened I am by Ronnie’s passing. I will miss him and his stories more than he probably could ever have imagined. Prayers being sent to his family.
I have known Ronnie professionally since his days as associate probate judge. I appeared before him with some protracted issues, and thought he did an excellent job. Then in an interesting turn of events, I became associate judge of the other Tarrant County Probate Court, just before he moved to the DA’s office. Eventually, he became the assistant DA assigned to my Court’s mental health docket.
In that assignment, he racked up a pretty remarkable record. I recently told his boss that I thought that he never lost a case in my court. I told her that there were times that the evidence wasn’t there, or the witnesses changed their story at trial and so he could not prevail. But I don’t think anything Ronnie ever did lost a case. This was true of his last day at work, and as far back as I can remember.
That is not to say that Ronnie and I always agreed on the outcome. We were both strong willed, and we worked together for so long, it was inevitable that we would disagree at times on the evidence, the law, and how to handle a court, a particular mental health patient, and witnesses, as well as matters outside the law such as sports. And with Ronnie, he never shied away from telling you about these differences. But despite any differences, he was the first to segregate a viewpoint from the person expressing it. If he got a ruling or a result from me that he didn’t like, he moved on to the next ruling or case, and never let it shake him, or our friendship.
I think most significantly to me, however, is that I’m pretty certain that we agreed on what was the most important thing in life. I don’t think a week went by that we didn’t have some conversation about children, their upbringing, families in general, and the importance of family in our lives. I never knew anything about his declining health until it had reached a critical stage the first time. There were similar areas in his private life where he played his information pretty close to the vest, and I’d get surprised by something after the fact. However, this was never the case with his pride in his son William. Nothing would light him up like an occasion to talk about a visit, a trip they took together, or a goal William had reached. I’m certain that William’s achievements gave Ronnie great strength as he battled his illness.
Please accept my condolences for your loss.
I have known Ronnie professionally since his days as associate probate judge. I appeared before him with some protracted issues, and thought he did an excellent job. Then in an interesting turn of events, I became associate judge of the other Tarrant County Probate Court, just before he moved to the DA’s office. Eventually, he became the assistant DA assigned to my Court’s mental health docket.
In that assignment, he racked up a pretty remarkable record. I recently told his boss that I thought that he never lost a case in my court. I told her that there were times that the evidence wasn’t there, or the witnesses changed their story at trial and so he could not prevail. But I don’t think anything Ronnie ever did lost a case. This was true of his last day at work, and as far back as I can remember.
That is not to say that Ronnie and I always agreed on the outcome. We were both strong willed, and we worked together for so long, it was inevitable that we would disagree at times on the evidence, the law, and how to handle a court, a particular mental health patient, and witnesses, as well as matters outside the law such as sports. And with Ronnie, he never shied away from telling you about these differences. But despite any differences, he was the first to segregate a viewpoint from the person expressing it. If he got a ruling or a result from me that he didn’t like, he moved on to the next ruling or case, and never let it shake him, or our friendship.
I think most significantly to me, however, is that I’m pretty certain that we agreed on what was the most important thing in life. I don’t think a week went by that we didn’t have some conversation about children, their upbringing, families in general, and the importance of family in our lives. I never knew anything about his declining health until it had reached a critical stage the first time. There were similar areas in his private life where he played his information pretty close to the vest, and I’d get surprised by something after the fact. However, this was never the case with his pride in his son William. Nothing would light him up like an occasion to talk about a visit, a trip they took together, or a goal William had reached. I’m certain that William’s achievements gave Ronnie great strength as he battled his illness.
Please accept my condolences for your loss.
On behalf of all the staff at Trinity Springs Pavilion, please accept our condolences for your loss.
On behalf of all the staff at Trinity Springs Pavilion, please accept our condolences for your loss.
Thanks to everyone for their condolences and comments.
Lin, that was beautiful. I especially appreciate your comments…it makes me feel good.
Much thanks,
Laurie Knight Belangia, Ronnie’s sister
Thanks to everyone for their condolences and comments.
Lin, that was beautiful. I especially appreciate your comments…it makes me feel good.
Much thanks,
Laurie Knight Belangia, Ronnie’s sister
Charlie,
I was so saddened to hear of your brother’s passing. I didn’t know Ronnie but I know you and he were very close and I’m sure you will miss him deeply. You and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers.
May God Bless and help you through this tough time.
Becky
Charlie,
I was so saddened to hear of your brother’s passing. I didn’t know Ronnie but I know you and he were very close and I’m sure you will miss him deeply. You and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers.
May God Bless and help you through this tough time.
Becky