Michael Knight

“Knight Rider”

Died December 29, 2023

Michael James Knight was born in the town of Lenoir in Western North Carolina where his

parents were celebrated high school educators who surrounded him and his sister Lori with love,

faith, and community. Hibriten Mountain rose above their home set along the foothills inspiring

Michael to look to mountains for guidance, inspiration, and goal setting throughout his life. From

becoming an Eagle Scout in his eighth grade year to achieving the senior award of Best Male

Athlete, he certainly met them head on. With his energy and abilities (he was ambidextrous or

amphibious as he liked to joke), Michael thrived as a lefty “south paw” pitcher in high school

and was decorated with 8 varsity letters (3 Wrestling, 2 Football, and 3 Baseball). Even though

he was offered a scholarship to pitch for Warren Wilson College, he instead chose to attend the

larger North Carolina State University in Raleigh and help the Wolfpack as a sports medicine

assistant along the sidelines. Meanwhile he enjoyed live music and concerts, and especially

cheering his Wolfpack in the NCAA Championship in Men’s Basketball under legendary Coach

Jimmy Valvano in 1983, a highlight of his life.

Michael, who then adopted the nickname “Knight Rider”, graduated from the big red brickyard

with a Bachelor of Science in Textile Chemistry and went to work in sales for several smaller

textile polymer companies and then larger global ones as he evolved with the changing times in

an ever expanding industry. His 38 year career included positions as National Accounts Sales

Manager-Technical Polymers & Fibers for Ascend Performance Materials, Business

Development Manager for Composites and Polymers at Teijin Aramid, Market Segment

Manager for Hexion (now Westlake Epoxy), and Senior Product Manager for Fenner Precision

Polymers. “Work hard, play hard,” was Knight Rider’s motto as he traveled throughout North

America and Europe. An avid golfer, he played in many annual tournaments and volunteered at

the Bell South Classic where he became a Marshal. He never played customer golf, choosing to

be honestly competitive and his favorite advice on and off the fairway was, “Always go with

your first club.”

In 1986 Michael moved to Charlotte and a year later, Atlanta, where he enjoyed city life in the

booming southern capital. There he met a group of friends who gathered weekly for Ultimate

Frisbee games by the Chattahoochee River and nights out in Buckhead where he bought his first

house, a charming bungalow in Garden Hills. The Olympic Games of 1996 were approaching

and Michael took advantage of volunteer opportunities, signing up as an ACOG VIP driver for

Home Depot and attending the events and games. It was during this era that he met his wife

Christy Baker and they remained good friends for several years before realizing what was right

in front of them: a deep respect and love that made them excellent life partners. Shared interests

included mountains, hiking, camping, skiing and snowboarding, gardening, cooking, drafting and

painting, pets, and travel combined with a strong personal faith in God. They were married at

Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church in Blowing Rock, NC in October of 1998. Two years

later, their daughter Beverly was born and added such joy to their lives.

The family moved to Chastain Park in Atlanta while spending time in the Blue Ridge Mountains

and the American West. Not to be one to miss out on a volunteer opportunity or a festival,

Michael helped with many annual events in the Town of Telluride, Colorado, including the Jazz,

RIDE, Blues & Brews, and Wine Festivals and Telluride Academy fund raisers and stage

performances. He was a joyfully confirmed member of Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church who

loved teaching Sunday School and was previously a member of First Presbyterian Church where

he ushered and arranged the altar flowers for home delivery, a lifelong passion that began when

he had worked for a florist in high school. Michael served on the Board of Directors for Special

Olympics Georgia for six years where he sponsored several athletes and traveled to national and

international games. A longtime Wolfpack donor, he consistently supported the Wilson College

of Textiles, including creating a generous Pioneer Scholarship which is currently helping eager

scholars from Western NC find their place in the pack. Even at the end of his arduous journey

with cancer, Michael gave to everyone he could including textile themed gifts to the nursing and

tech staff at Northside Hospital. He understood that asking for help is just as important as giving

and that reciprocity is what makes a team truly work.

Friends and family describe Michael as: “giving, larger than life, always with a smile, fun,

dynamic in his interests, a cherished friend, kind soul with the funniest sense of humor, an avid

music fan, always helping people, who taught us so much.” He is survived by his wife of 25

years, Christy, daughter Beverly, age 23, pup Anya, cats Oscar, Luigi and Littles; sister-and brother-in-law Suzanne and Spencer Cottingham, nephews Nate and Alex Hogan, Seth Hogan,

parents-in-law, John and Beverly Baker; the entire Dunavan, Surdovel, Mercer, Machado, and

Lunham families; Aunt and Uncle, Alice and William Woodlief, cousins Teressa, Shannon, and

Todd Woodlief, and the entire Woodlief, Smith, and Deal families; Dayan Gunasekara who

miraculously saved his life in Italy, and more friends than stars in the sky. Michael joins his

parents, Gary and Phyllis Knight and sister Lori Lynn in heaven where he is no doubt enjoying

epic adventures above Hibriten mountain. In leu of flowers please make donations in his name to

the Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church Altar Guild Fund for Vestments.