William "Buddy" Howard Knight

Obituary for William (Buddy) Howard Knight

In Loving Memory

Age 84

Died: November 29, 2025

Born: March 28, 1941

Born In: Salt Lake City, Utah

Celebrating a Life Well Lived

It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved Patriarch, Spouse, father, grandfather, great grandfather and friend William Howard Knight, aka. Buddy. His warmth, kindness, and unwavering generosity touched everyone fortunate enough to know him. Born and raised in a loving home to Clarence Burdine and Ethelyn Knight, he grew to embody compassion, resilience, and a deep commitment to the people and causes he cared about.

A Legacy of Love

First and foremost, Buddy was a devoted spouse, loving father, grandfather, great grandfather, friend, mentor, coach and guide. Buddy grew up in Granger Utah where he embarked in his initial education and later attended both Granger High School and Cyprus High School. While in school, he was actively involved in sports and student government. As he grew up, he learned to be a very knowledgeable mechanic, while working in his father’s automotive shop. This may be where he gained the saying “a clean car runs better than a dirty car” a statement that embodies not only car care but life care as well. Buddy went on to attend business school and trade school; it was there he became an accomplished electrician and refrigeration expert. Soon after, he started a career with Wernli Refrigeration. It is easy to see why he was never intimidated by a problem, because there was nothing that he didn’t seem to be able to fix. After leaving the refrigeration business, Buddy went to work for Western Pacific railroad and later the Union Pacific railroad and became an Engineer where he successfully completed a long career and retired at the age of 62.

Buddy was passionate about the outdoors, vintage cars, competitive sports, and anything mechanical. Buddy was an avid fly fisherman and a master fly tier. He mentored countless people in the art of fly tying. He participated in fly tying conclaves in the Rocky Mountain Region for over forty years and has tied hundreds of thousands of flies. He has probably given away half of the flies he tied to those he guided, family, friends, people who would attend the conclaves to watch him tie as well as numerous local fishermen in the vast number of areas he fished during his life. I believe many of those were his infamous pink and blue flies. Buddy also guided hundreds of people over a 25-year period at the LC Ranch, teaching them the art of Stillwater fly fishing. As time neared to the end, one of Buddy’s greatest enjoyments was hearing from people who called or visited to talk about their fishing experience and celebrate the successes they had while using his coveted Pink Fly.

Buddy’s passion for cars and hotrods started early in life and continued throughout his life. Over the years he had several classics, but none more loved than his 1958 Corvette. This was a staple in the Knight Family history, garnering a plethora of stories and memories, granted some of which were not great because of choices the two boys made. Not to worry, the Corvette survived and obviously so did the boys.

As an avid sports fan, Buddy had a tumultuous lifelong relationship with his beloved Dallas Cowboys, Utah Jazz and NASCAR racers past and present but mostly with the commercials that impacted his ability to watch these events. Buddy not only loved sports and the competition but was a believer in the life lessons those sports offered. Because of his belief, he devoted much of his life to coaching both little league baseball and football. Buddy was a staple in the Sandy City Community youth sports leagues and had a tremendous impact on a multitude of young people. Buddy was involved in the league for over 10 years where he gladly took on many roles including league president; additionally, he coached and led many teams to All Star championships across the state. Buddy altruistic values gave freely, his time, knowledge and financial support to many players so they would have a positive experience.

Buddy’s love of anything mechanical including his ability to fix anything automotive, boat and even once a plane (which later turned out the FAA did not appreciate), weld (especially his almost savant ability with copper), understand anything electrical and refrigeration based, it afforded him to share those talents to help many people as well. Buddy was a true “Jack of all trades” the difference is he was probably a master of most as well. He would tell you his father had a saying that he would always reference; “If somebody was smart enough to design and build something, you should be smart enough to take it apart and put it back together”.

Survived By

Buddy leaves behind his sisters Sandra Stallings and Sherry Christianson, His treasured wife Joyce Knight who together lovingly raised three children Larry Knight, Troy (Vicki) Knight and Andrea Knight, Buddy leaves behind three grandchildren Cody, Max (Harlie) and Maeli and one great grandchild Maverick. He also leaves behind his beloved Pink Fly and Blue Fly. Buddy also leaves behind countless trusted friends, and countless others whose lives he enriched. His memory will be treasured by all who experienced his kindness and unwavering support.

Preceded By

Buddy was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence (Bud) Berdine and Ethelyn Knight, Sister Carol Ann and other cherished family members and friends who went before him. Their memories remain part of his legacy, and their influence is evident in the values he carried throughout his life.

Celebration of Life

Buddy’s life was a vibrant tapestry woven from dedication, kindness, and joy. His infectious spirit and genuine warmth created countless cherished memories for those who knew him. As we gather to celebrate Buddy’s remarkable journey, we reflect on his unwavering commitment to family, lifelong friendships, and the communities he uplifted. Whether sharing laughter and stories during fishing trips, armchair quarterbacking during the game or offering sage advice in the garage, Buddy’s legacy is defined by love and generosity. Today, we honor not only his accomplishments but also the everyday moments he transformed into lasting treasures for all of us.

There will be a Celebration of life to honor his remarkable life and legacy as soon as a date is formalized. As anybody who knew Buddy would know he would want to make it easy for those attending and hosting this event. For him to have this done during the Holidays would be a nonstarter. In his words, “If it doesn’t work both ways, it doesn’t work at all”. Once a date and location are formalized, family and friends are invited to gather, share stories, and find comfort in the love that continues to unite us.

In Remembrance

Though Buddy is no longer with us, his spirit will live on in the hearts of everyone he touched. We honor his memory, cherish the moments shared, and strive to carry forward the lessons of compassion and joy he taught us. Next time you string a rod or look over a river take a second and remember Buddy.