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Burton S. Knight

Apr 12, 2018

Burton S. Knight, 88, of Amherst, N.H. passed away March 31 after a long illness.A family service was celebrated the following day, Easter. Burial will be in the spring. He is survived by his beloved wife, Wilene (Cowles), sister Arlene Johnson of Hingham, MA., children, Susan Amundsen, of Spivey, Kansas, Christine and Stephen Coombs, Center Sandwich, N.H., Bradford and Karin Knight, Amherst, N.H., grandchildren Zachary, Ariella ,Leah, and Zebulon Coombs, Kenneth and Kendall Knight Glover, Marajka, Bryce, and Sophie Knight, and great-grandchildren Juliana and Alexis Glover.

Burt pursued a broad range of experiences and interests in leadership positions at Nashua Corp., Kraft Paper, and Ludlow Corp. He was a Korean Conflict Air Force officer, minister of the laity and biblical historian, a professional jazz musician and band leader, and restorer of antique multifamily homes. In earlier years he was for 3 years President of the Lexington class of 1947, and DeMolay Master Counselor/Chevalier. He was a graduate of Boston University and attended Andover Newton Theological School.

At the time of the Vietnam War, he joined with others in the Amherst Congregational Church, where he had been Church School Superintendent for 10 years, to form the Uniting Church of Christ, a 46 year, lay led ministry. Burt was called to lead many funerals and weddings. How we loved his spontaneous prayers! `

In town affairs, he sparked the drive for current use to preserve open space as well as the move from special interest driven town meetings to town wide balloting to include a population not geared to evening decision making.

Knight Farm, in a more rural time, was a roadside bounty of flowers, organic tomatoes and goats’ milk for allergic children. For sixty years passersby enjoyed their sheep and lambs. For Burt, as in the Psalms, sheep symbolized our rebirth and eternal connection to Spirit!