Richard Lee McKnight, age 88, of Harrison, Ohio, passed away on Sunday, January 12, 2025, in Harrison, Ohio. He was born the son of Russell and Marie (Willis) McKnight on December 7, 1936, in Ironton, Ohio.
He married the love of his life, Marilyn Rupp on November 7, 1964, in Ironton, Ohio and received a bachelor’s degree from University of Cincinnati (1959) in mechanical engineering, a master’s degree from the New Jersey Institute of Technology (1966) in Mechanical Engineering, and in 1975, he received a PhD from the University of Cincinnati in Aerospace Engineering. He retired from GE in 2001 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Richard is survived by his loving wife, Marilyn McKnight, and daughter, Carol Jean McKnight along with brother-in-law George Otto, nieces Margaret (Otto) Hurley (Don Hurley) and Janet (Otto) Ruffing (Gene Ruffing), nephews Bill Otto (Vicky Otto) and Eric McKnight, grandnieces Kristin Flannery (Kyle Flannery), Avery McKnight, Elizabeth McKnight and Morgan McKnight, and grandnephews Gabriel McKnight and Liam Flannery.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Russell and Marie McKnight, sister, Linda McKnight, and sister-in-law Priscilla Otto.
A visitation will be held on Friday, January 17, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. until time of funeral services at 1:00 p.m., with Pastor Andrea King officiating, all held at Jackman Hensley Funeral Home, 215 East Broadway Street, Harrison, Ohio 45030. A burial, with military honors by the United States Army will follow at Glen Haven Cemetery in Harrison, Ohio.
Memorials may be made in Richard’s memory to “CEAS” (write in memo to “UC Engineering Program” or to “Aerospace Engineering Program”) in care of the funeral home.