William E. McKnight

Technical Sergeant William (Bill) E. McKnight, 81, passed away at his home in the arms of his wife, Crystal, in Celina, OH on September 26, 2024. Bill was a veteran who served in the Vietnam War and spent over 6 years in foreign service.

 Bill was born December 13, 1942, in New Castle, Pennsylvania to his parents William G. and Opal E. (Martin) McKnight. He is survived by his wife, Crystal; two sisters, Judy Anderson and Linda Wright Thies; two nieces, Robin (Troy) Knorr and Lori (Jeff) Henderson; and 5 great nieces and one great, great nephew. He is preceded in death by two of his favorite dogs, Albie and Jake.

 After graduating high school, Bill joined the Air Force on July 14, 1961. He was stationed at various bases, both foreign and domestic. Bill served his country for over 20 years, until his retirement October 31, 1981.

 Being born in 1942, Bill was part of the Silent Generation. If you have ever met Bill, you know he was anything but silent. He loved to talk. He could find a friend and make new friends in any room. He loved absorbing new information, meeting people from different backgrounds, learning their perspectives, and finding gold in common ground. 

 He had an opinion for everything, soap boxes for days, and soap boxes for his soap boxes so he could stand a little taller. He would take every inch he could get. He had a profound respect and admiration for the late Martin Luther King, Jr. After his return from Vietnam, he became a Race Relations Instructor within the Air Force. For Bill, it was beyond upholding civic and civil duties and deeper than moral and ethical compulsion or obligation. It was common sense. A sense that is still tragically lacking today.

 He became a solider for Christ and surrendered himself for an eternal life. Through the power of God and prayer, his chains of alcoholism broke free. He became a Substance Abuse Counselor to help his fellow service members also gain freedom from such a prison of the mind. His time as an instructor and counselor were two of his proudest accomplishments while in the Air Force and in the service of God. 

 He was a car and plane enthusiasts. He was an avid reader and gamer. He enjoyed Bible studies. He enjoyed keeping up with new technology. He was absolutely thrilled when he got his own Playstation and VR headset. His favorite video game was Skyrim. 

 In his later years, as Bill's health problems appeared and progressed, Crystal would sing to him the first part of, "You Are My Sunshine." In 2008, he was annoyed by such a simple and hokey song. After a time he understood the deeper meaning. He found comfort in it. He would ask for her to sing it for him in times of sickness and in health, in the good times and the bad, when he was scared, before surgeries, just because, and sometimes just to hear her say, "I love you," with a few extra words. It was the only time he liked her singing. 

 He was full of adventure and larger than life. I could not have asked for a better life partner, a most precious gift. 

 "You are my sunshine

My only sunshine

You make me happy

When skies are gray

You'll never know, dear

How much I love you

Please don't take

My sunshine away

The other night, dear

As I lay sleeping

I dreamed I held you

In my arms

When I awoke, dear

I was mistaken

So I hung my head and cried

You are my sunshine

My only sunshine

You make me happy

When skies are gray

You'll never know, dear

How much I love you

Please don't take

My sunshine away"