John Donald McKnight

It is with deep love and sadness that we announce the passing of John McKnight.

John is lovingly remembered by his wife, Judy McKnight; his sister, Donna McKnight; his brother, Richard Leahy (Judy); his nieces, Christina Racette (Jim), Karen Brand (Tim), and Tracy Kubista; his great-nephews, Hayden, Will, Thomas, and Nicholas; as well as numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins who loved him dearly.

He was predeceased by his mother, Elizabeth Fisher; his stepfather, Ken Fisher; his father, Don McKnight; his stepmother, Kay McKnight; his mother-in-law, Margaret Cunningham; and his father-in-law, Claude Cunningham.

John was born in Mercoal, Alberta, on June 3, 1957. After the coal mine closed, his family relocated to Canmore when he was just 18 months old. At the age of six, John moved with his family to British Columbia. While residing in BC, he lived in Surrey, Quesnel and Prince George where he spent a lot of time with his McKnight family. His favorite place as a child was Uncle Edwin and Aunt Hazels’ farm in Prince George where his sister Donna had to save him from being chased by bears and try and keep him safe, as he was prone to fall out a pickup trucks and often found himself in unexpected situations.

At the age of 16, John returned to Canmore before being accepted into vocational school in Calgary. While in Calgary, John met the love of his life, Judy, who would become his beloved wife. John and Judy married on February 14th, 1979, and lived in Calgary for over 20 years. During this time, John and Judy became members of the Jehovah’s Witness faith which was a very important part of their life.

After their time in Calgary, they moved to Halifax Nova Scotia. A place they both held close to their hearts. After 4 years there, they eventually returned to Canmore, where John was well known and deeply loved within the community especially the within the congregation.

John found a deep sense of belonging within his congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, where he was warmly embraced and valued as part of the community. The Kingdom Hall was a place of purpose and joy for him, and he took great pride in helping with various tasks he fondly referred to as his “job.” In turn, the congregation cherished him, offering friendship, kindness, and a strong sense of community that enriched his life in countless ways.

John loved Canmore. He walked everywhere, rain, snow, or shine, and he had his favorite local coffee spots he visited regularly. Whether you knew John personally or simply passed him on the street, you knew who he was. You could often see John pushing his wife Judy in her wheelchair to go to their favorite place for dinner, Patrinos. This was a tradition for them to go their every year on their anniversary, and they had just recently celebrated their 47th wedding anniversary before John’s passing.

John also had a wonderful sense of humour, his favorite response when asked “Hey John, what are you up to?” was “About 6 Feet tall” and it never got old. John also took great joy in the fact that when he met his brother Richard for the first time, he also had a wife named Judy who had blonde hair and blue eyes, this always made him smile. John was a gentle soul, and anyone who was lucky enough to know him could tell you this.

John was a deeply caring and devoted husband who took great pride in that role. He approached his marriage with quiet dedication, always striving to support, comfort, and bring happiness to his wife Judy. Including taking Judy to visit her beloved family farm in Eckville, Alberta. His commitment was a defining part of who he was, and the bond he shared with his wife was a source of great meaning and pride throughout his life.

Caring for his family was also deeply important to him, and he showed this through the love and attention he gave to those closest to him, including his grandmother Elizabeth Blackwood and his Uncle Johnny who he visited daily. His mother, Elizabeth Fisher, was his compass, providing guidance and a sense of direction throughout his life. Her love, support, and wisdom were a constant source of strength, helping shape the person he became. He also shared an especially close and meaningful bond with his sister Donna and cousin Lisa, who were both there at the end.

A special thank you to all the staff at the Bethany in Cochrane, where John lived the last year of his life, with the support of his care givers, affectionately referred to as John’s Angel’s, Marlene, Julie and Krista,

Our family would also like to thank Dr. Hone, Dr. Leung and Dr. Neilsen for all the care given to John over the past few years and the staff at the Canmore Hospital and Canmore Seniors Lodge who always took care of John with great kindness and compassion.

Please join our family Tuesday March 31st at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Canmore, Alberta at 7PM to celebrate John.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Calgary.