James Allen Knight

March 1, 1935 - January 6, 2022

Our beloved James Allen Knight died peacefully, surrounded by the love of his family, on January 6, 2022, in his home in Taylorsville, Utah, at the age of 86. If you know “Jim” well, you know the world has lost a truly good man. Jim was born at Indian Bench, Utah, the second of five children to Glen Leroy Knight and Martha Richards. He attended Roosevelt Elementary in Mud Flats, Lindon School in Orem Utah, and Vernal Junior/Senior High in Vernal, where he graduated as a state wrestling champ. Jim’s family struggled in his early years, and he tells of the days when his family lived in a chicken coop while his father was enlisted to help construct the Geneva Steel Mill during World War II. Eventually his father established a sheet metal shop in Naples, Utah, where Jim would learn many of the skills that helped him to one day build his own business. Jim attended college at University of Utah, but his education was interrupted by a mining venture gone wrong. Jim’s back was broken, and he spent a year in recovery. After that, he attended Brigham Young University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in education. Jim’s life’s journey took him to Salt Lake City; Logan, Utah; Provo, Utah; Sunnyvale, California; Spokane, Washington; Phoenix, Arizona, and Conrad, Texas. He taught math and science at Kearns Junior High School (Salt Lake County) and West Junior High School (Uintah County) before moving on to a long career in temperature controls. Jim worked as a sales-engineer for Robertshaw Controls before he started his own temperature control business in Salt Lake City. He enjoyed running ATC Contractors successfully for many years. Jim loved the outdoors, including river running, backpacking, skating, skiing, beach-combing, and tall ship cruising adventures. He was a hard worker, a devoted husband and father, and a great storyteller. He was a talented artist and intellectually curious. Jim was always interested in the world around him and honed his knowledge of the sciences throughout his life, with a special fondness for geology. He was a deep thinker who cared about humanity and its most pressing issues. Jim was the sort of man who would literally give you the shirt off his back and would help any person in any way that he could. He will be remembered as a truly unselfish man. Jim met the love of his life, Glenda Paulson, at a rodeo dance in Vernal in the fall of 1957, and on December 30 they were married. Through thick and thin, they forged on together, just recently passing the milestone of their 64th wedding anniversary. Jim and Glenda are the loving parents of three daughters, Mary (John Taylor), Carol, and Jeri (Paul Brown). He and Glenda will always be remembered as “the fun grandparents” to Zak Johnson (Coralee), Jazmyn Koense (Chad), Tucker Johnson (Emily), Jakob Johnson (Lauren), and Tasha Miller (Dan). Jim leaves fourteen great-grandchildren (and one on the way) who will know him best through the stories and memories that his family will share to honor and preserve his legacy. He also leaves his little sister, Glenda Sadlier; his brother-in-law Steve Paulson; his sisters-in-law, Joyce Sims and Ila Hogue; and many nieces and nephews for whom he was very fond. He was proceeded in death by his dear grandson, R.J. Knight; his brothers Richard (Dick), Gary, and Charlie; and his very special little furry friend, Bambi. A celebration of Jim’s life will be pending. Condolences may be sent to his cherished wife, Glenda.