Grady County GaArchives Obituaries.....Joseph Washington "Joe" Knight February 10 1981 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Janet Sumner gws0675@peoplepc.com February 18, 2004, 1:25 pm The Cairo Messenger, February 13, 1981 Joseph Washington Knight, Sr., beloved and well known Cairo native, passed away Tuesday, at the age of 71 while a patient at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital after an illness of several weeks. Final rites for Mr. Knight were held at 3 o'clock Wednesday, February 11, 1981, at the First United Methodist Church with Rev. Charles Culbreath and Rev. W. L. Parks officiating. Interment followed at the Cairo Cemetery with Masonic rites by the Cairo Lodge #299. Serving as active pallbearers were Atwood Lane, Bill Bishop, Ijon Cain, Elmo Hancock, Dave Copeland and Johnny Carrouth. Mr. Knight was born here in Grady County Oct. 16, 1909 to the late George and Lucy Weathers Knight. He was married to the former Jimmie Atkinson June 15, 1941. Mr. Knight was a retired pressman and a member of the Methodist Church, Cairo. He was also a Shriner, Mason and a member of the Eastern Star. Survivors include his wife, Jimmie Atkinson Knight of Cairo; one son, Joseph W. Knight, Jr. of Cairo; one daugher, Sonya Vestey of Maitland, Fla.; four brothers, Walter Knight, Frank Knight and Thomas Knight, all of Jacksonville, Fla. and Harry Knight of Thomasville, Ga. and several grandchildren. Clark Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. Joe achieved national and international fame in the sports world with a brilliant boxing career spanning the years from 1927-1938. He never fought as an amateur. His first fight was professional, which he won by a knockout. As his popularity expanded he became known as "Cairo Joe", "The Cairo Calamity" and "The Gentleman From Georgia." These titles bestowed upon him by sports writers and friends. Classed as a light heavyweight, he fought his way to the top by capturing the Canadian and Spanish crowns and also held the National U. S. Championship for five years. The largest fight of his career came in 1934 in Miami Beach where he battled the famous "Slapsey" Maxie Rosenbloom to a fifteen round draw for the Light Heavy Weight Championship of the World. Joe retired from the ring in 1938. In his eleven years as a professional, he was never knocked out. During World War II, Joe served as a Physical Training Instructor for the Army Air Corp. He joined the Cairo Messenger Staff in the late 1950's and retired in 1972 as a pressman. He became affiliated with Knight's Crop Dusting and Spraying Service which was owned by his son, Joe, Jr. He remained there for several years. Joe was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Cairo Masonic Lodge No. 299, Cairo Royal Arch Chapter No. 163, Bethlehem Commandery No. 30 of Thomasville, Cairo Chapter 327 Order of the Eastern Star and was a York Rite Shriner of Hasan Temple in Albany. Several years ago the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame inducted Joe as a member, also, the National Boxing Hall of Fame located in Hollywood, California selected him as a member and placed him in the ranks of the greatest Prize Fighters that ever lived. His interest in the youth of Grady County brought him in contact with many young people, whom he coached in the sport of boxing. Whether inside a gym or a backyard improvised ring, Joe gave many hours of his free time working with youngsters in the sport he loved the best, boxing. Funeral services were held Wednesday, February 11 at 3:00 o'clock at the First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Charles Culbreath and Rev. W. L. Parks officiating. Interment followed at the Cairo Cemetery. Cairo Joe will be greatly missed in the community. His quiet, friendly, easy- going nature made him truly a gentle man as well as "The Gentleman From Georgia." This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 4.2 Kb