Rev. Canon Harold Stanley Knight
The Canon Harold Stanley Knight, a retired Mesa Episcopalian priest, passed away Nov. 17, 2020, at the age of 108. Born in Rochester, New York on July 26, 1912, to a prominent New York Baptist family, his parents were Merton J. Knight and Elizabeth Jane Morrison. In 1934, he received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Rochester in New York and a master’s degree from Colgate Rochester Divinity School. Before joining the Episcopal Church, he was a Baptist pastor from 1937 to 1948 and later an Episcopalian rector at three New York State churches between 1948-57. In 1957, he moved to Mesa, Arizona, as rector of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, where he served for 20 years. The present church was built in 1981 and, before his passing, a designated event space was renamed Knight Hall in the rector’s honor.
Father Harold married Majorie Ruth Bryde Knight on March 24, 1937. They had two children - a son, Douglas Wayne Knight, and a daughter, Cheryl Anne Knight. Majorie died July 21, 1965. On October 30, 1971, he married Edithanne Davis Ball and became stepfather to Barbara Anne Gibson and Bryn Elise Allen.
“The Mesa community loved him, and he comfortably adapted to a real western culture,” said his son, Dr. Douglas W. Knight. Everyone, it seemed, recognized him with his Stetson Hat, bolo ties, and jovial personality. He played tennis up to the age of 88, even occasionally working out with the ASU tennis team. His involvement in the community earned him numerous accolades, including the 1978 Mesa Citizen of the Year Award, the Salvation Army’s Others Award in 1978 and William Booth Award in 1984. He also earned the Mesa United Fund’s 1983 Service Award.
After retiring from St. Mark’s in 1977 as the longest-serving rector in its 104-year history, Father Knight served twice as interim rector at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Phoenix and part-time staff member at St. Barnabas in Scottsdale. His greatest honor was “Canon” of the church given to him by the Diocese of Arizona, earned by working into his 80’s.
He loved writing poetry and reading. He loved the beauty and vastness of Arizona and it would be interesting to see what his wonderful poetry would be like with this new vision he has with his passing.
Father Knight is survived by his widow, Edithanne, his son Douglas and wife Rosemarie Heywood Knight, and their children - Christian Knight, Jennifer “Jan” Barglowski, Eric Knight (Olga) and daughter Cheryl Knight Durfee and her children - Zane, Tracy, Kylynn, Todd, Linda and Cherry. He’s also survived by Edithanne’s daughters, Barbara Gibson and her daughter Monday Ledbetter, and Bryn Allen with husband William Allen, and their children - William “Trey,” Annelise, Spencer, and Gregory Allen. He is also survived by 21 great grandchildren and 7 great-great grandchildren.
Funeral will be held at 3 pm on April 15, 2021, at St. Barnabas on the Desert Episcopal Church in Scottsdale, AZ. Because seating is limited, please contact St. Barnabas Church in Scottsdale at 480-948-5560 to reserve space.