Russell David Knight's Obituary
Russell David Knight, 43, lost his year-long battle with colon cancer on December 27th, 2024, surrounded by his family. He was born on September 27th, 1981 in Rexburg, Idaho to James E. and Teresa Olson Knight as the fifth of six children.
Though we all hoped he would have more time after he was diagnosed, he made the most of his last year of life. He loved to travel and experience new places and new foods. Immediately following his diagnosis, he was able to travel to Japan for his fifth time. He loved Japan and visited there many times over the years, taking friends with him each time. He loved showing them his favorite places, as well as exploring new places each time. Early this year, he had the opportunity to travel to Hawaii with his older siblings where they camped in Kauai, kayaked, hiked to a waterfall, spent many sunsets at the beach, and had many other adventures. Just a few months ago, he got to travel to Paris and Scotland with his younger sister. They enjoyed the historical sights and exploring castles. He even hiked a mountain, putting his sister to shame. Russell spent his life living and enjoying life. He was a big “foodie” which was a shock to his family since as a kid all he ate was bread and cheese and Chinese Casserole. He could handle the spiciest food you could imagine and loved making his own salsas using various home-smoked spicy peppers. His friends became like family, and he enjoyed his time with them. They loved to watch movies, play video games, and travel. Even if it was just driving in the car for an hour or two, he loved to experience new things. He loved both computer and board games. His friends were a big part of the last twenty years of his life and he spent a lot of time with them going to concerts, gaming conventions, and trying new foods. Russell loved to read and learn. He was the smartest person you can imagine. If you thought you were an expert on a topic, he could still teach you something. He read every book he could find, including encyclopedias. He could hold a conversation with anyone because he knew so much, but as much as he knew, he was courteous and never talked down to anyone. He loved to educate others about things he knew and find common ground and common interest. Even as an introvert, he was comfortable conversing with others, whether he knew them or not. He valued people’s skills and talents and loved to support authors, musicians, and artists. He had a vast music collection, with many of them on records. He supported kickstarters and bought the digital, paperback, and hardback of his favorite author’s books to support them. He loved his job at ARUP for close to 20 years, where they loved and respected him and recognized his intelligence and talents. He felt valued and appreciated and he loved the work he did there. He is survived by his parents James E. and Teresa Knight, and all his siblings: Jimmy Knight, Richie (Ellie) Knight, Kaylie Knight, Lisa (Jim) Steadman, and Jana (Jeremy) Bake, as well as many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins who loved and adored him. He was very loved by his siblings who were happy to be there to support him and felt it was a privilege to take care of him and be there for him. A special thanks to his roommate and best friend of twenty years who helped him to appointments and with whatever he needed, Alan Fait. They were kindred spirits and had a special bond. . Many thanks to all the doctors, nurses, and staff at Huntsman Cancer Institute who advocated for him and made sure he was comfortable and happy with his treatments. Also, CNS Cares Hospice was invaluable during the short time they cared for him.
In lieu of flowers, donate to your favorite charity or support an artist in his memory.
(memorial service info)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
5500 South 1175 West
Riverdale, Utah 84405
Visitation
Friday January 3, 2025
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Visitation
Saturday January 4, 2025
12:00 pm to 1:30 pm
Funeral
Saturday January 4, 2025
2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
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