John “Paul” Knox died Oct. 29, 2002, at his daughter’s home after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.

He was born Sept. 6, 1919, to Ivan and Nellie Knox on the family farm in Vinco, Okla. He was one of 10 children; his brothers are Kenneth, Gordon, Merwyn, James and Charles, and his sisters are Beryl, Bernice, Lillian and Jean.

Mr. Knox graduated from Perkins High School in Oklahoma and joined the Army Air Corps in World War II, serving 1941-45 in North Africa and Sicily.

He married Rose-Marie Dickey on June 30, 1942. They moved to the West Coast in 1946 and settled in Riddle, Ore., where they moved into a renovated chicken coop. In 1951 Paul and Rose-Marie moved the family to Seattle. They lived in the Seattle area until 1976, when he retired and sold his gas station and bought and moved into the old post office/grocery store in Nighthawk, Wash. He lived his dream in Nighthawk, serving as foreman on a small cattle ranch. The family spent a few wonderful years helping him brand, feed and run cattle up to the flat.

The family enjoyed many more years on their acreage on the Similkameen River, the site of numerous family reunions. After a series of short stays in Bridgeport, where they bought and ran a mobile home court; Sequim; Whidbey Island; and Everett, they moved back in with their daughter and her family. There Mr. Knox spent the last three months of his life, surrounded by the love of family and friends.

He is survived by his wife, Rose-Marie; sons Charley and partner Debra, Don and partner Marilyn, Gerry, and daughter Paula Jennings and husband Larry; grandchildren Nicole (Charley) and her husband Stephen, Evan and Adam (Paula) and Barry (Gerry); sister Jean, brother Charles; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by son John Paul in 1991 and grandson Ian (Charley) in 1967.

He will be remembered for his kind spirit, gentle ways, love of the outdoors and generosity to his family, friends and community.

The family wishes to express their gratitude to Group Health Hospice in Bellevue and Home Health Care and Hospice of Whidbey General Hospital. Their caring and support helped us help dad make his final journey on earth a special one. The family also thanks Island Home Nursing and caregiver June for their support and care during the past few months.

A potluck memorial celebration of Paul’s life will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. Nov. 10 in the Social Room at the Everett Holly Village Senior Living Apartments, 9615 Holly Drive.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations in Paul’s name to Friends of Home Health, in care of Whidbey General Hospital, P.O. Box 400, Coupeville, WA 98239, or GHC Hospice, 2100 124th Ave. N.E., Suite 110, Bellevue, WA 98005.