Milan McKnight, 85, Lewiston

Milan (Mac) McKnight, a retired educator, died Friday, April 18, 2008, at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Lewiston. He was 85 years old.

McKnight was born Nov. 10, 1922, in Tilden, Neb., to Albert and Gertrude Brewer McKnight. He attended Tilden Public School, graduating from high school in 1940. He worked various summer jobs while attending Wayne State College from 1940-1943.

He entered the Navy on active duty on July 1, 1943. He attended midshipman's school at Columbia University in New York City. He was commissioned an ensign USNR in February 1944. While serving in the fleet on the USS Arnab (AKA56), he made the initial invasion at Leyte Gulf, P.I., and Okinawa. He was promoted to lieutenant (J.G.) on July 1, 1945. He met his future wife on the same day. He served 39 months on active duty.

Mac McKnight and Eleanor Rolf were married Feb. 7, 1948, at Valentine, Neb. They were married 60 years.

He received his bachelor of arts degree from Wayne State College in 1947. He received his master of arts degree in education administration from the University of Wyoming at Laramie in 1950. He also did graduate work at Stanford University in California for five summers.

He taught one year at Kilgore, Neb., before moving to California. He taught five years at Fresno, Calif., and then spent 29 years teaching in the San Jose (Calif.) Unified School District, retiring in 1982.

Upon retirement they moved to Lewiston, where he was active in the Lewiston Retired Educators Association. He served as president, vice president and chairman of various committees. He was a member of the Retired Educators of Idaho. He attended various workshops and state conventions as a delegate. He was a member of the National Retired Teachers Association, which is part of AARP. He was a member of Clarkston AARP No. 1077, RSVP, and served as tax counselor for the elderly from 1983 to 2000.

McKnight's hobbies included fishing, reading, travel in the United States, Canada and Alaska. He also enjoyed gardening, especially growing roses.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Vernon McKnight; a sister, Ellen McKnight; and a great-granddaughter.

Survivors include his wife, Eleanor of Lewiston; a son, Bob and his wife Kathy McKnight of Orofino; a daughter, Sue Towne of Lewiston; grandson Dan and his wife Adriana of Fayetteville, N.C.; grandson Tom McKnight of Moscow; and three great-grandsons, Storm, Skylar and Xavier McKnight and great-granddaughter Alisha McKnight.

A funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Vassar-Rawls Funeral Home in Lewiston. Burial will be at the Normal Hill Cemetery.

The family suggests any memorials be made to the Holy Family School in Clarkston, or to the local Salvation Army.