Obituary of Eugene B. Knight

COLUMBIA- Funeral service for Eugene "Gene" Bernardo Knight, 95, of Columbia, will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 24, 2014 at St. Andrews Evangelical Church, 2609 Seminole Road, Columbia, SC 29210. The Reverend Don Burnett, Jr. will officiate. Burial will follow with Military honors and Masonic rites in Dutch Fork Baptist Church Cemetery, 3517 Dreher Shoals Road in Irmo. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at Thompson Funeral Home of Lexington, 4720 Augusta Road, Lexington, SC 29073. Mr. Knight died on Saturday, April 19, 2014. Born January 11, 1919 on a farm in Darlington County, South Carolina, he was the oldest son and 2nd child of the late Colie O. Knight and Grace Touchberry Knight. The family moved to Lykesland just outside of Columbia, SC where his father was caretaker of the Epworth Orphanage Farm. When World War II broke out, he and his two brothers, Otto and Earl enlisted. Gene's unit landed in North Africa and fought through Italy, France, and Germany. His name is listed in Columbia's Monument Park as being one of the liberators of the German concentration camp at Dachau. After the war he married Elizabeth Brawley Cowart and made their home in Columbia with her daughter Carol E. Cowart and their son Richard. He worked as foreman of the body shop at Andrews Auto Service until he retired in 1984. His wife died a month later. He remarried later to Mable P. Johnson and they also made their home in Columbia. He was an active member of the Jamil Shrine in the Choo Choo unit and the Character unit. He was also a member of the Earlewood Masonic Lodge, the VFW Post #641 and the American Legion. He is survived by his son, Richard E. Knight and wife, Ann Key Knight; his grandson, Richard G. Knight and his children, Jessica Knight and Gavin Knight; also his step-daughter, Carol Elizabeth Cowart Hall and husband, William W. Hall and their daughters, Casonya and Tina Hall. He is also survived by three sisters-in-law, Edith Polizzi, Helen Knight and Wenona Knight. He was predeceased by his parents and brothers, Otto, Earl and Robert Knight, his sisters, Alice Campbell, Grace Stuckey and Elma Knight. Always quick with a joke and a laugh, great with children and adults alike, he will be greatly missed by family and friends. The family would like to thank the staff at Harbison Hall Assisted Living for the loving care they gave the last seven years of his life. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Shriners' Children's Hospital, 950 W. Faris Road, Greenville, SC 29605.