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RHINEBECK, N.Y. -- Alexander Nicholas McKnight Sr., of Rhinebeck, died Friday, Oct. 28. He was 86.
He was born and raised in Brooklyn and later moved to Germantown, Tivoli and Rhinebeck.
McKnight served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War and upon his return he worked as a purchasing agent for Pfizer Chemical Co. for nearly 20 years. He and his family moved to Germantown and he began his career at Bard College, where he earned his bachelor degree in 1979 and worked as the administrator of the Higher Education Opportunity Deprtment.
He was a member of the Reformed Church of Rhinebeck and taught Vacation Bible School there and at various other local churches. He was a member of the American Legion and served on the board of the Quitman Resource Center. He enjoyed writing and had published his senior thesis, "Never Seen, Only Heard." He was a very popular speaker on the subject of early radio shows.
In 1950, he attended spring training for the New York Giants; Willy Mays was among his teammates that year. He had a lifelong passion for baseball and when the Dodgers left Brooklyn he became an avid New York Mets fan. Having been a part of the era when the league was becoming desegregated, he was very honored to have attended the Jackie Robinson Honor and game at Citi Field with his son, Sandy.
He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth (Laughlin) McKnight; son, Alexander 'Sandy' N. McKnight Jr. and his wife Liv Cummins; daughter, Viola 'Lola' McKnight and her husband Chris Silagyi; step-daughter, Susan Gilpin and her husband Brandon; grandchildren, Alexander 'Alex' N. McKnight III, Addison and Sophie Broome; and a sister, Nancy Tellekamp and her husband Patrick.
There are no calling hours. A memorial service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 12 at the Reformed Church of Rhinebeck, 6368 Mill St., Rhinebeck. Memorial donations may be made to the Reformed Church of Rhinebeck, 6368 Mill St., Rhinebeck, NY 12572.
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