Joe McKnight

CLEVELAND- F. Joe McKnight age 69 of Cleveland, MS passed away Saturday, October 30, 2021, at Indywood Personal Care Home, surrounded by family and friends.

The family will receive friends Saturday, November 13, 2021, from 1:00 PM until 2:00 PM at Cleveland Funeral Home. A Memorial service will follow at 2:00 PM in the Cleveland Funeral Home Chapel. Burial of Joe's cremains will follow in the North Cleveland Cemetery.

Joe was born September 13, 1952, to Elmo McKnight, Sr. and Della McGovern McKnight in Cleveland, MS, where he was a life-long resident.

Joe was a graduate of Cleveland High School, where he played football, baseball and once proudly hit a grand slam during an All Star game. He attended Delta State University with studies in Business and served for six years in the Mississippi Army National Guard.

Joe was a hard worker all of his life. He started working when he was just 12 years old, delivering newspapers. He worked for many years as a rice buyer before starting his own business in 1992, The Greenskeeper. He enjoyed providing lawn care services in the community, especially during the holidays when he sold and delivered Christmas trees from his nursery. He had a passion for gardening and always offered the most beautiful plants and flowers.

He loved hunting, collecting wildlife art, and riding his horses and Harleys. He liked to drive his motorcycle out West, attend motorcycle rallies, and once took the mule ride down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. He was a cowboy at heart, had an adventurous spirit, enjoyed trail rides and going to antique cars shows. He had a strong connection to the community and enjoyed pitching in to help others, especially youth.

Joe was preceded in death by his father, Elmo McKnight, Sr and mother, Della McGovern McKnight, and his brother, Elmo McKnight, Jr.

He is survived by his 3 sisters, Jerry Taylor of Shaw, MS, Margaret McKnight of Cleveland, MS, and Gayle McKnight of Saltillo, MS; and 4 nieces, Regina Sutton (David), Tina Ferretti (Steve), Hope Johnson (Pete), and Laura Behr (Zach); and 3 nephews, Mike McKnight (Allison), Lee Kent (Julie), and Matt Arendale (Jessica).

The pallbearer is Tim Towles. Honorary pallbearers are Gary Garrett, Charles Hyatt, Frank Michael, Darrell Malatesta, Mike McKnight, Lee Kent, and Matt Arendale.

Memorials may be made to St Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN. 38501.

Joe McKnight... a few words of the brother and uncle we love so much.

Joe McKnight was a man of integrity.

He always wanted to do the right thing and treat people fairly. He was a very hard working man.

He enjoyed going to Pigeon Forge TN every September with his family and going to the car shows with his nephew Matt. He was knowledgable in all kinds of models of cars. He collected many vehicles over the years, as he had a passion for old cars and motorcycles.

Cleveland Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. The online guest register may be signed at www.clevelandfuneralhome.net.

A live stream can be viewed at https://iframe.dacast.com/b/156599/c/565676