Gerald Payne Knight

Gerald Payne ?Jerry? Knight, age 63, of Greenville, SC, died August 18, 2007, at Pardee Memorial Hospital in Hendersonville, NC, following a long period of declining health. Jerry was born in Greenville on February 2, 1944. He graduated from Greenville Senior High School in 1962, and later attended Furman University and Southern Wesleyan University for both undergraduate and graduate course work. Jerry grew up attending Buncombe Street United Methodist Church but in recent years was a member of Christ Church Episcopal. Previously, he was a member of St. James Episcopal Church, where he served on the Vestry and as Junior Warden. Jerry spent much of his adult life coaching football, basketball and baseball at a variety of institutions including Greenville Senior High School, Christ Church Episcopal School, J.L. Mann High School and the Cleveland Street YMCA. He was an assistant coach for both the varsity and junior varsity Red Raider football teams of his beloved Greenville High and was Head Football Coach at CCES from 1975-1977, taking the Cavaliers to the playoffs both seasons. Jerry was extremely knowledgeable about the fundamentals and tactics of the sports he coached, and was an extraordinary motivator. He was known for getting more out of his athletes than anyone thought possible, including the athletes themselves. More importantly, he was a loyal friend and would do anything for his teams, frequently spending his own money to buy uniforms and equipment. An athlete on a team coached by Jerry Knight became a friend for life, and Jerry would seldom venture out in public without seeing an old friend from his coaching days. In the years following coaching, Jerry worked at Grady Miller Honda, took over his late father?s business as President of Knight?s Trim Shop, and worked in facilities management at St. Matthew United Methodist Church and then Christ Church Episcopal. He subsequently formed Church Facilities Management, Inc., providing management services to a number of area churches. In recent years, Jerry served as President and then Chapter Administrator for the Upstate Chapter of the International Facilities Management Association IFMA. Jerry was the child of the late Stobie Dee ?Dick? Knight and the late Lila Payne Knight, both of Greenville. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by an infant brother, James Milton Knight. He is survived by several cousins: Donna Bootle of Greenville; Bobbi Stroud of Simpsonville; Robert Malcolm, Patti Basham, Kevin Taylor, Scott Taylor, and Courtney Hall all of Charleston; and Catrina Beck of Knoxville, TN. Jerry will be remembered fondly by his family and by the many athletes he mentored and friends he made during nearly three decades of coaching. He also will be greatly missed by a number of close friends he made later in life through church, work, his participation in IFMA, and visits to Cateran?s Restaurant, many of whom helped him during his period of declining health. Jerry was extremely grateful for the assistance provided by these close friends in his times of need. Visitation will take place at Christ Church Episcopal, Arrington Room, on Friday, August 24, 2007 at 2:00 p.m. followed by a funeral service in Markley Chapel at 3:00 p.m. Interment will follow at Woodlawn Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the ?Sirrine Forever? Capital Campaign, c/o Greenville Senior High School Academy, 1 Vardry Street, Greenville, SC 29601, or to the charity of one?s choice. Thomas McAfee Funeral Home, Downtown.