ARLINGTON, Texas — William Graham Knighton passed away peacefully surrounded by family and loved ones in Arlington, Texas, on July 4, 2021, after a long struggle following a stroke and declining health issues. He was 89 years young and loved life!
Bill was born in Great Neck, New York, to Samuel Edward and Dorothy (Graham) Knighton. He attended Great Neck High School and then New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire, before joining the United States Army and serving two years in the Korean War. Once he returned home, he worked as an assistant buyer for JC Penney Company in New York City before eventually starting his own business — Knighton & Company as a representative selling to Penney, Neiman Marcus and others. Penney's move out of New York City is what ended up bringing him to the Dallas, Texas, area. He was also a successful businessman, entrepreneur and inventor well into his 80s. He was always coming up with things to create and sell!
Bill easily made friends and had a wonderful knack of making everyone feel comfortable as well as that everyone mattered. His passions included cars and boats of which he had many of each! By his 80th birthday, he had already owned over 50 boats — that number even increased before his passing. Even at age 88, he would sit out on the deck watching boats go by the island and know what every one of them was and the size of the motor. He probably knew more than boat fanatics half his age.
His biggest passion and joy was spending time on Lake Winnipesaukee for the past 59 years starting out renting in Alton and then buying a home on Bear Island and Redding Lane in Center Harbor, but his real love was spending the past 27 years on Two Mile Island. He also was an owner/caretaker of Becky's Garden and would use several types of boats over the years getting the "house" out for summers of enjoyment by many of the lake.
Bill is survived by his loving wife, Stephanie, whom he called "The true north on the compass rose of my soul," of Arlington, TX; Katie Knighton McCarthy (Tim) of Meredith, NH; Rich Knighton of Meredith, NH; Lisa Hammel of Arlington, TX; Scott Parkhurst of Gun Barrel City, TX. He also leaves 11 grandchildren: Lindsey Knighton Schwan (Chris), Grady McCarthy, Jack Knighton, Kacey McCarthy, TJ McCarthy, Kyle McCarthy, Wyatt Hammel, Zoe Hammel, Elijah Hammel (Ashlee), Megan Parkhurst Welch (Robert), Anna Parkhurst; and five great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Barbara Knighton of Montville, NJ; and many nephews and nieces.
He was predeceased by both of his parents and his brother, Samuel Edward Knighton III.
Services were held July 17, 2021 in Arlington, TX, with plans to have a Celebration of Life in summer 2022 at Lake Winnipesaukee.
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