Ronald D. Knight passed away after a brief illness on June 1, 2015, at the age of 85. He was born on March 19, 1930, to Elmo and Val Knight in Great Falls.
Ron was interested in cars from an early age and remained a collector and car buff throughout his life. He was also interested in math and science, graduating with a degree in mathematics from Montana State University in Bozeman.
After graduating from MSU, Ron moved to California where he was an aerospace engineer and manager at Hughes Aircraft and later Systems Development Corporation.
In 1957 he married Gretchen VanderVelde with whom he had two children, Geoffrey and Susan. Beginning in 1965, Ron and his sister Kay and her family built a cabin on Lindbergh Lake, Montana, a place that the family still enjoys each summer.
Ron purchased a cherry orchard in 1980 and joined the Flathead Valley cherry orcharding community. After retiring in 1985, Ron moved back to Montana from California and became active in the Flathead Valley Cherry Orchard Growers Association, eventually serving as its president.
In 1996, Ron married Ruth Grende. In 2000, they moved to Spokane, spending many years building good friendships and enjoying an active life filled with travel, playing bridge and tennis, collecting wines and spending quality time with their children and grandchildren.
Ron and Ruth moved back to Montana in 2014 and settled in Bigfork.
Ron is survived by his wife, Ruth; his children; his grandchildren and his sister, Kay Wearley.