Vandon Knight's Obituary
Vandon Edward Knight was the youngest child of Marvin Edward Knight and Alice Louise Knight. Edward was his father and grandfather’s Knight’s name. His name Vandon was his grandfather Williams name. There were generations of Edwards and Vandon’s before him. His ancestry was lilled with 60 to 70 year old marriages and though his life was cut short, his wife, Joan Marie Paulette Knight, and he had a wonderful 51 years together. His only child Terry Don Knight married in 2010. Lily, Terry Don’s wife was a daughter to Vandon. Warren William Knight was his big brother by ten years. l’m sure Marvin, Louise, and Warren guided him to the light of Eternity when he passed August 4th at Baptist Memorial hospital. Warren settled in CabotArk and built grocery stores with his wife Sandra and three sons. MaryAnn Mathis was 13 years older than Vandon. She was his sibling, but always felt Motherly toward him too. He loved her dearly. At the age of 84 she is still independent, living in Middleton Tennessee. The Texas Knights and the Tennessee Williams made their mark on the rural lands surrounding their parents Home place. Like his parents, parents, Vandon made a living growing plants, but the plants were grown in greenhouses, instead of open land. He owned and operated Knights Garden Plants, along with his wife and son for 40 years. He started in farm to market vegetable plants, but by the time he retired in 2010 he was selling foliage, flower, and annual plants, as well as Floral Supplies and gifts. KGP lNC, reached out to 24OO customers in a 150 mile radius. In his retirement days he traveled to every state in the Union. When Vandon got bored with traveling, he landscaped his yard to match the beauty he had worked and vacationed in. In that beauty, he would set on his patio with Joan, Terry Don, Lily and our pets, thanking our Savior for such a wonderful life. Vandon and I got married when he was in the service in Amarillo Texas. We were dirt poor, but knew that was not going to be our station in life. With hard work, self education, and perseverance we could earn a good living, but what I loved most about my husband was that these thing were secondary in his personal and professional life. An example of this was shown to me in our second year of marriage. We had retumed to Memphis from Amarillo Texas, where Vandon was in the Air Force, with twenty two dollars in our pocket. A class mate saw Vandon at a service station with a hard luck story. Vandon gave him our Last twenty dollars because that classmate needed it more than we did. He had a generous soul to friends, our employees, KGP INC customers and most of all to his family. His path in life was paved with good deeds and well wishes. To his competitor, where he always was willing to lend a helping hand, thinking of them as friends, not competitors & to his friends in time of need and most of all to his family. We will miss his joviality, good nature, kindness, and compassion, but we know he is in the Light of our Lord and Vandon’s family and friends will find peace in that . Time will not fade our memory or love for Vandon and his strength will carry us through this along with our strength that is given to us through our belief in God. The family will receive friends & family on Thursday, August 6 from 6-8 pm at Memorial Park celebrating his life with wonderful memories and good food. The celebration of his life continues Sat August 8th at 9:00 AM at Gadsden First Baptist Church in Bells, TN with the service to begin at 11:00 with interment to follow in Marlowe Cemetery on Marlowe Cemetery road near Gadsden.
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