Norman E Knuckey's Obituary
Norman “Norm” Eugene Knuckey
Born: April 22, 1933
Died: January 13, 2018
Born April 22, 1933 in Duluth Minnesota, to Alfred James, and Mary Louise Knuckey, passed on to the Lord January 13, 2018. Norm lived a full life, with grace, humor and love. Moving to St. Pete in the 1940’s with his parents and older sister, Harriett “Bunny” Leavitt (Knuckey) and became a lifelong resident. He graduated from St. Petersburg H.S. in 1951 as salutatorian, with a passion for baseball, English and Spanish languages, and his H.S. sweetheart, Shirley Lydic. Norm was a bit of cut up in class, and knew Shirley was a hall monitor; it’s said that Norm would intentionally get sent out of class to the hallway, just so he could see Shirley. He attended FSU for 2 years, often hitch-hiking home on breaks in his Army RTOC uniform. He left FSU and married Shirley Knuckey, and was drafted into the US Army, serving in Germany in the early 1950’s in the 8th Army, then in the National Guard in St. Pete. He worked at his Father’s business, Gulf Coast Testing, in Pinellas Park and with other contractors in the area testing materials used to build roads in Pinellas and Manatee counties.
Norm met his second wife, Nancy Ann Knuckey (Stevens) of 29 years through a mutual friend, and was married in 1961. Norm and Nancy adopted two infants, Thomas “Tom” Steven Knuckey in 1963, and Patricia “Patty” Ann Knuckey in 1964. Norman worked two jobs at the time to help pay for the adoptions, working at the St. Pete Times and Allstate insurance. He would go on to have a distinguished career of 29 years at Allstate insurance in St. Pete, retiring in September 1991.
His passions were: family, church, community theatre, golf, and poetry. Norm was a devoted family man and always had time for family activities. He loved his children and was always supportive and enjoyed time playing golf, throwing the football or goofing around with them in the pool or beach. Hosting family get togethers, visiting relatives and family trips were always entertaining, as Norm was never short on words, jokes or humorous stories. He was always at the center of laughter at any gathering, with good jokes or an impromptu pun, or a round of self-taught by ear piano melodies. He would often inspire others, such as his nephew, who he showed how to punt a football, and he later went on to become an NFL kicker.
Norm was very active in the 1960’s – 1980’s at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, the oldest Church in St. Pete. Serving in the church leadership, council, lay reader, choir member and volunteered for various other activities. He was also involved in the relocation and expansion of the church to its current location on 34th Street South.
He found his passion for entertaining and acting at the St Pete Little Theater, where from the late 1970’s through the 1990’s he was active in all aspects of the community theatre from board president (1982-1983), to acting and starring in multiple plays each year. His greatest acting performance was a one man show, were he made the audience cry. Norm loved the thrill of acting, singing, performing and entertaining. Some of his favorite plays and musicals were Oklahoma, Brigadoon, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and many more.
Golf was a lifelong temptress for Norm, as a kid in the 1940’s and 1950’s he caddied at Lakewood Country Club, and learned to play the game. Although never a consistent par golfer he enjoyed the outdoor time with buddies and teaching golf to his son and daughter, who also enjoyed caddying for
him and his friends. His favorite courses were Pasadena, and Tierra Verde. Even with Alzheimer’s he would still putt in his living room or with his grandchildren, often challenging them to a putting contest across the carpet. In his words, “One of the most frustrating love affairs I ever got involved in was with GOLF!”
Later in life, during retirement, Norm used his unquestionable command and passion for the English language and enjoyed creating limericks and poetry on all kinds of topics from love to the daily mundane of life. Eventually, he collected enough poems to publish a book. His passion for poetry and entertaining would come together as he would do family toasts, or poetry reading, or a new message on his answering machine. In his own words his sense of humor is always present, “When (and if) I write my auto-biography, a good title might be “Been There-Done That”! or “Confessions of a Smart Ass!”
Norm had a generous heart, and would always help anyone in need. For many years during retirement he would use his trusty little pickup truck to collect surplus food at local grocery stores and transport it to food pantries to those in need. He was always willing to help anyone in need.
He would often say, “Knuckey rhymes with Lucky”, and he was truly lucky when he rekindled his relationship with Shirley. The once high school sweethearts would soon be married again. They remarried in 2000, and spent the last years together sharing a great many joys together and later the struggles as his Alzheimer’s set in. Shirley always lovingly supported Norm as primary caregiver as his Alzheimer’s set in. The last 2 years as Norm needed the assistance of a memory care center, Shirley moved into the same Assisted Living center. Even through his last days Norm would recognize Shirley. Norm was a happy soul and would often smile and laugh to connect with people even long after he could not speak.
Norm is now gone from us. He is free of the Alzheimer’s. He is with God and happy; writing and reading heavenly poetry, some of it off color to all the souls that will listen, sinking that elusive hole in one, and in his fashion having a grand time with family and friends and enjoying happy hour always. His love for his family and friends lives on in each of our hearts.
Norm leaves his wife Shirley Knuckey, son Tom Knuckey, daughter Patty Knuckey, stepson Barry Sanders, stepdaughter Cheryl Hewett, daughter in laws Maia Knuckey, and Tracy Sanders and their spouses. Grandchildren, Zachary, Matthew, Christian, Nathan, and Grace; and Nephew Allan Leavitt, and Niece Adriane Leavitt.
A memorial service has been scheduled for Saturday, February 10, 2018 at 11am at Memorial Park Funeral Home located at 5750 - 49th Street North, St. Petersburg, FL 33709. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made in Norm’s memory to St. Pete City Theatre: http://www.spcitytheatre.org/support/
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