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April 17, 2014
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Monday, April 21, 2014 from 4-7 PM. A funeral services, including a Marine Corps Honor Guard, will follow at 7 PM on Monday, at the funeral home.
Edward “Eddie” Knight, age 80 of Totowa died peacefully at home on Thursday, April 17, 2014 with his family at his bedside. He had fought a courageous battle with cancer for just under two years.
Eddie served in the US Marine Corps during the 1950’s and operated his own mechanic shop for decades on Montgomery Street in Paterson called “Eddie Knight Carburetor and Ignition.” He had also worked as a mechanic for the Brogan family in Paterson and at Malcolm Connor Chevrolet in Paramus, NJ.
Eddie grew up in Cedar Grove and began working as a mechanic in his teenage years. From the time he was a young boy, he loved cars, motorcycles and speed! At just twelve years old he was determined to save money for a motorcycle and soon he had saved enough to buy a leather biker jacket. When his mom saw the jacket, she issued an ultimatum: ‘don’t you dare get a motorcycle!’ At seventeen he had saved enough money and bought his first bike, much to his mother’s disapproval. In 1953 he saw the newly released Marlon Brando film “The Wild One” and recognized his kindred spirit. For Eddie, motorcycles were part of his DNA and speed was in his blood. He went on to build many motorcycles from the ground up, long before it was part of pop culture. He loved drag racing and had built many specialized racing bikes, setting several speed records in his time. One newspaper clipping he saved includes his picture and a caption reading “Knight holds the A fuel Bike record at 9:60 at 153.30 M.P.H.” As his riding progressed, he became frustrated with the constant breakdowns and stubborn starting of his Harley Davidson bikes. He bought his first Japanese-built bike and never looked back after that. He’s owned a Honda Gold Wing, ST1300, a Yamaha FZR, a Yamaha R1(with which he hit a deer and ended up in the hospital for three days!), and a Kawasaki Ninja 900. He regularly went to the bike rallies in Laconia, New Hampshire, the Americade at Lake George, and Daytona Beach. He and his fellow riders would make a game of counting the broken down Harleys along the way to each rally. Eddie and his wife toured the U.S. on their Gold Wing and she has a trove of memories to remember those times by. Well into his 70’s, Eddie was riding racing bikes and on several occasions he found himself pulled over by the police for speeding. When the officers approached him, often shocked when they realized his age, he was usually sent on his way with just a cordial warning. Although that wasn’t always the case (he’s received more than his share of speeding tickets), more recently the police were inspired by his choice of bikes, his zest for life and his appetite for riding.
Eddie wasn’t all about motorcycles, although they were a huge part of his life. He was a meticulous and talented mechanic with very capable hands. In the 1980’s, he was determined to get a pilot’s license but the cost of renting an airplane was prohibitive. He ended up buying a crashed airplane, in pieces of course, and proceeded to rebuild it in his Paterson shop. When Eddie was finished, it was better than new. He made his first solo flight after less than ten hours of flying time. Always the daredevil, he was cited once by the FAA for flying too low as he buzzed over his friends business! No harm, no foul, but nevertheless he lost interest in flying thereafter and sold his plane.
Eddie met his wife Hedy Vander Werf shortly after returning from his time in the Marine Corps. They were introduced by friends and enjoyed their first date up at Greenwood Lake. They soon fell for each other and were married on September 23, 1961at the Cedar Cliff Methodist Church in Haledon. A honeymoon followed at Daytona Beach, Florida which, of course, was Eddie’s choice and involved a motorcycle. They enjoyed nearly fifty three years of marriage which included lots of motorcycle travels, countless memories of their adventures, and many good times.
Eddie is survived by his loving wife Hedy of Totowa, his two children; Edward and his wife Jennifer of Arizona, and Lori Emanuel and her husband Charles of Florida, NY, and three grandchildren; James Knight of Arizona, Valentina and Antonia Emanuel of Florida, NY.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Monday, April 21, 2014 from 4-7 PM. A funeral services, including a Marine Corps Honor Guard, will follow at 7 PM on Monday, at the funeral home.
April 17, 2014
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Monday, April 21, 2014 from 4-7 PM. A funeral services, including a Marine Corps Honor Guard, will follow at 7 PM on Monday, at the funeral home.
Edward “Eddie” Knight, age 80 of Totowa died peacefully at home on Thursday, April 17, 2014 with his family at his bedside. He had fought a courageous battle with cancer for just under two years.
Eddie served in the US Marine Corps during the 1950’s and operated his own mechanic shop for decades on Montgomery Street in Paterson called “Eddie Knight Carburetor and Ignition.” He had also worked as a mechanic for the Brogan family in Paterson and at Malcolm Connor Chevrolet in Paramus, NJ.
Eddie grew up in Cedar Grove and began working as a mechanic in his teenage years. From the time he was a young boy, he loved cars, motorcycles and speed! At just twelve years old he was determined to save money for a motorcycle and soon he had saved enough to buy a leather biker jacket. When his mom saw the jacket, she issued an ultimatum: ‘don’t you dare get a motorcycle!’ At seventeen he had saved enough money and bought his first bike, much to his mother’s disapproval. In 1953 he saw the newly released Marlon Brando film “The Wild One” and recognized his kindred spirit. For Eddie, motorcycles were part of his DNA and speed was in his blood. He went on to build many motorcycles from the ground up, long before it was part of pop culture. He loved drag racing and had built many specialized racing bikes, setting several speed records in his time. One newspaper clipping he saved includes his picture and a caption reading “Knight holds the A fuel Bike record at 9:60 at 153.30 M.P.H.” As his riding progressed, he became frustrated with the constant breakdowns and stubborn starting of his Harley Davidson bikes. He bought his first Japanese-built bike and never looked back after that. He’s owned a Honda Gold Wing, ST1300, a Yamaha FZR, a Yamaha R1(with which he hit a deer and ended up in the hospital for three days!), and a Kawasaki Ninja 900. He regularly went to the bike rallies in Laconia, New Hampshire, the Americade at Lake George, and Daytona Beach. He and his fellow riders would make a game of counting the broken down Harleys along the way to each rally. Eddie and his wife toured the U.S. on their Gold Wing and she has a trove of memories to remember those times by. Well into his 70’s, Eddie was riding racing bikes and on several occasions he found himself pulled over by the police for speeding. When the officers approached him, often shocked when they realized his age, he was usually sent on his way with just a cordial warning. Although that wasn’t always the case (he’s received more than his share of speeding tickets), more recently the police were inspired by his choice of bikes, his zest for life and his appetite for riding.
Eddie wasn’t all about motorcycles, although they were a huge part of his life. He was a meticulous and talented mechanic with very capable hands. In the 1980’s, he was determined to get a pilot’s license but the cost of renting an airplane was prohibitive. He ended up buying a crashed airplane, in pieces of course, and proceeded to rebuild it in his Paterson shop. When Eddie was finished, it was better than new. He made his first solo flight after less than ten hours of flying time. Always the daredevil, he was cited once by the FAA for flying too low as he buzzed over his friends business! No harm, no foul, but nevertheless he lost interest in flying thereafter and sold his plane.
Eddie met his wife Hedy Vander Werf shortly after returning from his time in the Marine Corps. They were introduced by friends and enjoyed their first date up at Greenwood Lake. They soon fell for each other and were married on September 23, 1961at the Cedar Cliff Methodist Church in Haledon. A honeymoon followed at Daytona Beach, Florida which, of course, was Eddie’s choice and involved a motorcycle. They enjoyed nearly fifty three years of marriage which included lots of motorcycle travels, countless memories of their adventures, and many good times.
Eddie is survived by his loving wife Hedy of Totowa, his two children; Edward and his wife Jennifer of Arizona, and Lori Emanuel and her husband Charles of Florida, NY, and three grandchildren; James Knight of Arizona, Valentina and Antonia Emanuel of Florida, NY.
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