Thomas Knight

Thomas Tom or Tommy Alman Knight died July 18th, 2010 at his home on the Knight Ranch, north of Carrizozo, New Mexico. Tom was 83 years of age.

Services will be held at the Ancho Church on July 20th, 2010, at 2 p.m. with graveside services following at the Ancho cemetery..

Tom was born on June 24, 1927 in El Paso, TX to parents Myrtle Straley and Alman Knight . Having spent his childhood on the Straley family ranch and at various schools in the southwest, Tom graduated from high school in El Paso, TX, joined the United States Marine Corp and served from 19441946. Following that, he returned to Las Cruces, NM where he enrolled in college at New Mexico A M and eventually received an agricultural degree. Tom married his college sweetheart, Nancy Roby, in 1950, and they returned to the Straley family ranch in Lincoln County, NM.

Tom was an oldfashioned cowboy, and he and Nancy raised two children in true Western fashion, amidst the tumult of ranching, rodeoing and activities such as 4H. The ranch has remained an integral focus of Toms life, being a true multigenerational endeavor.

Although Tom experienced poor health in his recent years of life, he continued to enjoy those things which had always given him pleasure family, old westerns, old country music, and, of course, any opportunity to get together with dear old friends and tell the many stories some perhaps even true that he had spent a lifetime accumulating.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents Myrtle and Alman Knight, his brother Jackie D. Knight, and his son Danny Knight. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Nancy Knight, of the family home, sister Barbara Jarvis and brothers Robert Knight and Dewie Knight, his daughter and soninlaw Barbie and David Roper, his grandchildren Renee Beltran, Shad Roper, Ryan Roper, Jana Knight, Roby Knight and 11 greatgrandchildren.