ROCKLAND – John L. Knight, 79, died at his home, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2003, after a long illness. Born in Rockland, Feb. 18, 1924, he was the son of Grover C. and Catherine Duffy Knight. He was educated in Rockland schools and graduated from Rockland High School in 1942. He served in the Merchant Marines during World War II in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Middle East and Pacific War Zone. Mr. Knight married Elizabeth L. Holmes, July 2, 1948, in Rockland. He attended the University of Maine at Orono, and graduated from Suffolk University Law School in 1956. Returning to Rockland, he was associated with the late A. Alan Grossman until opening his own office in 1960. In 1959, he was elected to the Maine State Legislature, where he served on the Judiciary Committee, becoming house chairman at one of the Sessions. He resigned from the legislature in 1964 to become Rockland’s first Complaint Justice under the new District Court System. Mr. Knight served as Rockland’s City Attorney from 1975 to 1982 and was a member of the State Advisory Committee on Probate Rules from 1988 to 1997. A member of the Knox County Bar Association, he also was a member of the Maine Bar Association, and the New England Bar Association, where he served as president 1983 to 1984. He served two years as a member of the board of directors of the Farnsworth Museum, was a past president of the Rockland district Nursing Association, assisted on the Rockland Cooperative History Project, was a life member of the Rockland Lodge of Elks, Knights of Columbus and Winslow-Holbrook-Merritt Ameri-can Legion Post No. 1, Rockland. After his retirement from the practice of law, in 1993 Mr. Knight was affiliated with the firm of Strout & Payson as “of Counsel”. He was predeceased by his brother, Capt. Thomas J. Sweeney and sister, Mildred Sweeney Brannan. In addition to his wife of 55 years, Mr. Knight is survived by two nephews, Thomas L. Brannan of South Thomaston, James W. Brannan of Rockland; five nieces, Mary B. Tinkham of Millinocket, Susan B. Upham of Thomaston, Nancy B. Lunt of Tenants Harbor, Patricia S. McDowell of Wenatchee, Wash. and Ann S. Skoe of Canby, Oregon, as well as several cousins. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Wednesday, at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church, 150 Broadway, Rockland. The Rev. Mark Reinhardt officiated. Interment followed at Achorn Cemetery, Old County Road, Rockland. Memorial donations may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, Maine Chapter, Suite 160 B, 163 Lancaster Street, Portland, ME 04101-2406.
JOHN L. KNIGHT
