J. Graham Knox

J. Graham Knox age 83 of Mt. Lebanon passed away Thursday, August 16, 2018.

He was the loving son of the late Francis and Boyd Knox of Perryopolis.

Beloved husband of Carol Knox for over 50 years; loving father of Kerry (Barry) Westerwick of Portsmouth, VA, Lisa (Harold) Dorman of Wewahitchka, FL, Pam England of Rolesville, NC, Erin (Dave) Martin of  Oakton, VA, Hilary (Will) Robinson of Richmond, VA and Graham (Kelli) Knox of Peters Township, PA; cherished grandfather of John, Tom, Lindsay, Matt, Andrew, Nate, Devin, Graham, Owen, Boyd, Claire, Xavier, Alexandra and Brody; adored great-grandfather of Noah, Maddie, Blakely, Carson, Gracelynn, and Ally; dear brother of Francis Laughner, Sue (Dick) Ullery and the late Jane Buchanan; brother in law of Suellen Fitzsimmons and Jeff and Sherry Sager; also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Graham was a man of great faith, studied the bible and was an active member in Bower Hill Church for almost 45 years. From being on session, an elder, a  deacon, a children’s Sunday school teacher and on the softball team to regularly attending worship until recently, some of his closest friendships were forged at Bower Hill.

Besides his home, being outdoors was Graham’s favorite place.  Never one to pass up a meal, one of his greatest pleasures was his wife’s cooking whether at home, on a picnic or at a campsite.  Camping was a family pastime and he spent more than one rainy night dealing with the family tent. His wit / dry sense of humor, selflessness and faith helped him through some of life’s hiccups and hurdles.  Graham was a lover of America, reading, Ireland, history and was a civil war buff, and was proud of his alma mater Arizona State.  After age 67, his life dream came true on a trip with his daughters / sons-in law to visit the family church in Northern Ireland.

A Verizon (Bell of Pennsylvania) retiree, Graham loved his job.  As a deeply patriotic and proud American, Graham was eternally grateful for our country’s military and very proud of his grandson, the Marine.  To his mother’s relief, the recruiting officer was at lunch the time that young Graham went to the military office for his one and only shot at enlisting.  As a college athlete, Graham loved sports, especially baseball and basketball.  While a youth soccer, baseball, softball and basketball coach for his children he taught his teams the true meaning of sportsmanship.  But most of all Graham enjoyed spending time with his family and attending sporting events for all of his children and grandchildren.

Composing a memorial statement about anyone is never an easy task. Writing one for my Dad, Graham, seems especially so. Dad has six children, each of whom has children and half of us have grandchildren. You can read their names nearby. That was the easy part. To name nieces and nephews, their children and grandchildren is nigh on impossible—yet each of them, save for the tiniest, knew their Uncle Graham. What they know—what we all know— is that he loved them.

Dad just plain loved his family. And we, his family, love him.

Though his last days were marred by a wretched disease that stole much of his memory, he was always aware that the faces smiling at him belonged to people who loved him. I believe the love he saw in our faces reassured him and gave him comfort.

When I learned that Dad had died, I hoped that we each had stood by him with unselfish love, just as he stood by us our whole lives.

We are Graham’s family, and that is as fine a memorial statement about any man one could find. Our relationship with Graham has changed. We now claim kinship with Dad more dearly, as a citizen of heaven who beholds God face to face.

We love him and we miss him.

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Saturday, September 8 at Bower Hill Community Church, 70 Moffett St., Pittsburgh, PA 15243. www.bowerhillchurch.org(412-561-4114)

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Bower Hill Community Church.