Richard F. Knightley

Richard F. Knightley, 90, of St. Joseph, passed away Monday, January 23, 2006 at his home. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 1:30 P.M. Thursday at Kerley-Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph with Rev. Wade Panse officiating. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery, St. Joseph. Friends may call from 5-8 P.M. Wednesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Hospice at Home or First United Methodist Church, St. Joseph. Those wishing to share a memory or sign the guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Mr. Knightley was born August 2, 1915 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada to Richard R. & Olive (Scott) Knightley. Richard was the first Canadian to graduate from the Chrysler Institute of Engineering. He was employed as an engineer at Bendix of Canada in Windsor, Ontario, as Plant Manager at Schultz’s Die Casting in Wallaceburg and Lindsay, Ontario, as Plant Manager of Utilex in Fowlerville, Michigan, and retired in 1980 as the General Manager of Paramount Die Casting in Stevensville. On June 8, 1991, he married Diane Sylvander Teachout in St. Joseph. Richard was a member of the First United Methodist Church in St. Joseph. He enjoyed golfing and made a hole-in-one when he was 78 years old. Richard also was an avid traveler. Mr. Knightley is survived by his wife Diane; a daughter Katharine (Robert) Chinnery of San Juan Capistrano, CA; two sons-Richard (Linda) Knightley of Phoenix, AZ, Allan (Peggy) Knightley of Pinckney, MI; six step-sons-Jeffery (Madonna) Teachout of Pinckney, MI, Eric (Dee) Teachout of Tecumseh, MI, Ronald (Mary) Teachout of Dexter, MI, Daniel Teachout of New York City, Gary (Susan) Teachout of Norfolk, VA, Brian (Becky) Teachout of Jackson, MI; five grandchildren-Anita, Brian & Christopher Chinnery, Kenneth & Jason Knightley;eight step grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; a sister Jean (Carl) Baker of Burlington, Ontario, Canada; and many extended family members. He was preceded in death by his first wife Georgina, his second wife Georgia, a son Phillip Knightley and a great granddaughter, Abigail.