Obituary of Alfred Bishop Knight

Alfred Bishop Knight was born on January 6, 1920 in Dill City, OK to Earl M. Knight and Minnie Belle (Bishop) Knight. Al passed away Thursday, March 12, 2015 at the age of 95. A Tulsa attorney for more than 50 years, Al followed in his father’s footsteps with his law career. He spoke fondly of growing up in Arkansas City, KS in a strict, loving and adventuresome family. He graduated from Washburn University, Topeka, KS. During World War II, he was a Navy Lieutenant, serving in naval communication intelligence in Washington, D.C. while he simultaneously attended George Washington University Law School at night where he was a member of the Law Review. He received his LLB degree in 1946 and came to Tulsa to join the Hudson, Hudson and Wheaton law firm in 1947. Subsequently he was a partner in his father’s firm, Manatt, Knight and Knight for 15 years. He then established his own firm, Knight, Wagner, Stuart, Wilkerson and Lieber, from which he retired at age 80. Al taught at the University of Tulsa Law School at night for a number of years. Al was a member of the Tulsa County Bar Association and member of the Oklahoma State Bar since 1946. Al was a trustee of the Tulsa Exposition and Fair Corp., and served as director and past president of the Tulsa Junior Chamber of Commerce. He was the first vice president of the Junior Chamber, served as chairman of the Jaycee Community Welfare committee and was head of the school division for the March of Dimes drive. In 1948 he was selected as one of the three outstanding men in Tulsa at the Jaycee distinguished service award banquet. On July 12, 1949 he was published in the Derrick’s “Man of the Week” at age 29. In the 50’s, Al moved to a large ranch in Osage County having become an avid horseman. He raised Palominos and Quarter Horses and for many years trained and rode many champion cutting horses with his ranch manager and cowboys. He ultimately joined the Executive Board of the National Cutting Horse Association. Al was an avid golfer, highly competitive in his younger years and continued to play into his late 80’s enjoying both the Tulsa Country Club and Southern Hills Country Club golf courses. In 1989, at the Ed Beshara Charity Golf Tournament – Cedar Ridge Country Club, Al made a “hole-in-one” and won a car which he donated to Big Brothers and Sisters of Green Country. During the same Charity Tournament years earlier he won “closest to the hole”, earning him a satellite dish. Local Native American Art was another passion and he amassed a collection of several hundred pieces with his wife Margaret. Al believed in supporting and helping others receive a higher level education, and did so through charities, creating an endowment for scholarships. Al felt that education was the key to success for everyone and he and Margaret supported their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren through school with most attaining college degrees and more: including, five physicians; a PhD; a newly minted lawyer; and many master level degrees. From early in his career, Al provided anonymous support beyond the family for over 30 students who otherwise would not have been able to achieve an education beyond high school. More recently Al and Margaret established the Alyson Marie Knight Memorial Endowed Scholarship at Rogers State University. These scholarships, named for and in honor of their granddaughter who died as a result from an automobile accident in 2002, are designed to recruit and retain talented students to RSU, particularly those students working their way through school having been socially or financially challenged. They have supported over 80 students and received the Presidential Salute in 2009 from Rogers State University for all their support. The family will profoundly miss their mentor, father, grandfather and great grandfather. His sage, and sometimes, irreverent comments, spurred conversation and taught us all how to think about the issues of the day. His concern and passion for his family were unfailing as well as his generosity. The family wants to specially thank his caregivers over the last year. Without their help Margaret and Al would not have been able to stay in their beloved home in Tulsa. Al was preceded in death by: wife of 44 years, Margaret Flotell Knight; his parents; a sister, Melba Knight Warren; three daughters, Rebecca Jean, Andra Vicaren, and Martha Leta and a granddaughter, Alyson Marie Knight. He is survived by his six children, Grover Earl Knight (wife, Melba), Alfred Knight, Jr. (wife, Nan), Mary Beth Knight, James Patrick Knight (longtime companion, Karen Moore), Margo Uri Simmons (husband, John), and Gwen Uri Minardo (husband, Joe); seven grandchildren, Brian Knight (wife, Jeannette), Laura Synder (husband, Derek), Meredith Knight (husband Ahren Lembke-Windler), Jordan Knight, Leslie Simmons Pierson (husband, Hunter), Gregory Minardo (wife, Rachel), Tony Minardo (wife, Kaitlyn); great-grandchildren, Tyler, Paige and Lizzie Synder, Hailee Knight, Ashley James (husband, Joseph), Margo, Demi and Hunter Pierson, Hannibal and Silas Windler, Owen and Brady Minardo; great-great-granddaughter, Riley James; niece, Suzanne Warren Brown (husband, Roger), her children Lisa, Trent and Mark and her six granddaughters. In recognition of a life well lived in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Alyson Marie Knight Scholarship at Rogers State University. The family will greet friends and loved ones at the family home from noon to 3:00 P.M. after the interment.