Stanley W. Knight

(1910-2000)

Member #41

Rock River Thresheree Class of 1965

BRODHEAD -- Stanley W. Knight, age 90, passed away Sun., Aug. 20, 2000, at Monroe Manor Nursing Home, Monroe, WI. He was born March 15, 1910, in Paoli, WI, the son of Frank and Dora (Opheim) Knight. He married Selma B. Laube on Aug. 11, 1940, in Spring Grove Township, Green Co., WI. At the age of 3, Stan and his parents moved to a farm between Albany and Brodhead. At the age of 8, his father died. Stan graduated from Albany High School in 1928 and continued farming with his mother. He attended vocational school in Madison, with a course of study in welding. In 1944, the family moved to Brodhead. During World War II, he was employed by Fairbanks Morse of Beloit, as a test technician, where he gained a great amount of design and manufacturing knowledge. He had always tinkered on the farm, but he now had the knowledge of how to make things. In November of 1945 he started Brodhead Machine and Welding in a dairy barn on the west edge of Brodhead. He began by doing repair work for local farmers, cheese factories and construction companies. He was soon using his design talents to build products such as trailers, tree planters and whey tanks. By 1948, he was producing an innovative manure spreader. With his vision and entrepreneurship, the company continued to grow. Today, Knight Mfg. is a world leader in agricultural and industrial mixers and spreaders. Although Stanley retired many years ago form the day to day activities at the company, he continued to take a keen interest in the manufacturing and design of the products. Stanley was a very civic minded person and was always interested in improving the quality of life in Brodhead and Green Coo. He was a Green Co. board supervisor, during which he championed improving the county roads and chaired the committee for building the Pleasant View Nursing Home facilities. In the fifties, Stan, along with several other local businessmen, initiated a business development corporation to attract business Brodhead. He was a Brodhead school board member from 1949 to 1963 and president in 1953. He was instrumental in building the high school in 1960. He was a member of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church of Brodhead and active on the church council and the building committee. He was a former member of the Decatur Lake Country Club and was a member of the Knights of Pythias. Stan's antique cars were his pride and joy, collecting and restoring. He was a member of several car clubs in Wisconsin and Florida, including the Yesteryear Club of Monroe. He enjoyed sports, golfing, big game hunting, and took a great interest in people. He was very fond of the "coffee gang" who met each morning in a local restaurant. He had a real zest for life and never felt a day was complete without learning something new. He and Selma traveled extensively in the United States and abroad and enjoyed spending winters in Florida.

Survivors include his wife, Selma of Brodhead; 3 sons: Douglas (Janice) Knight, William (Susan) Knight, both of Brodhead, and Ted of Eagle Grove, IA; 4 grandchildren: Greg, Carmen, Sarah and Eric. He was preceded in death by his parents; and a brother, Don in infancy.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Wed, Aug. 23, at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Brodhead, with Pastor Randy Krause officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery, Brodhead. Visitation will be held from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m. Tuesday at Newcomer Funeral Home, Brodhead, and from noon until time of services at the church on Wednesday. A memorial fund will be established in Stan's name.

[Source: The Janesville Gazette, August 2000]