Millard Freeman McKnight

Millard Freeman (Mid) McKnight Jr., 87, "slipped the surly bonds of earth...reached out his hand and touched the face of God" on Thursday, July 1, 2010, at 3:05 a.m. Mid was born April 7, 1923, on a sandy land farm near Dunlap (Cottle County), TX, to M. F. McKnight Sr. and Verdie Smyth McKnight. In 1925 he moved with his family to Cotton Center (Hale County), TX in a wagon train of five Weber Wagons and one Model "T" Ford. After graduating from Cotton Center High School at the age of 16, he enrolled in Abilene Christian College where he earned a degree in Business Administration in 1943. That same year he began his active service as a U.S. Navy pilot where he flew SBD3 dive bombers. Later he was assigned to Pensacola, FL, where he taught pilots to be flight instructors. Mid married his college sweetheart, LaVorise Lee, in Spur, TX, in 1945. That same year he separated from the Navy and began farming up to 2000 acres near Plainview, TX. He was selected "Outstanding Farmer of the Year" of the Soil Conservation District in 1950. During this time, he also flew commercially for the High Plains Hail Prevention Association. Bible study was always a priority for Mid. In the 1950s, while he was still farming, he began to be asked to preach in some of the small communities on the plains including Edmundson, Hale Center, and Plainview. In 1960 he got off the tractor and into the pulpit full time at the Highland Church of Christ in Abilene, TX. He has also held full time ministry positions in Kaufman, Mexia, and Dublin, TX. During his years of church leadership he has served as pulpit minister, education director, youth minister, deacon, and elder. In 1970 he began an evangelical work teaching Personal Work Training Schools that took him to preach in all but two of the 50 states, the Middle East, Africa, Japan, Europe and Canada. On one trip to the Holy Land, he attempted to photograph every known location mentioned in the Bible as having been visited by Jesus or the Apostle Paul, which he then organized into a narrated "Illustrated Trip through the Bible". He made a filmstrip to illustrate "First Century Christianity Today" and hosted a "Journey to Eternity" series on local television. He has published three books: Vestibules of Heaven (a collection of sermons on the Christian home), Organized Personal Work (a training manual), and a brief history of his life. For over 50 years Mid personally supported the Lord's work in Malawi. In 1998 he retired back to his home in Abilene, where Wal-Mart now stands! Mid was predeceased by his parents, three brothers (Clark, Alvin and Bill), one sister (June Morris) and one grandson, Travis Lee Weiland. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, LaVorise McKnight, two daughters, Kay (Michael) Weiland of Georgetown and Sue (Larry) Bridgeman of Lubbock, and two sons, Mef (Molly) McKnight of Dallas, and Dan McKnight of Abilene. He has seven grandchildren: Collin, Clay and Austin Weiland, Amy Jaquez, Emily (Greg) Scherrer, Amanda (Mickey) Murray, and Shane (Shea) Perry, and 10 great-grandchildren. Mid and LaVorise also took in and helped to raise numerous foster children and/or entire families over the years. Visitation with the family will be Sunday, July 4th, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Rd., Abilene, TX. Services will be at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, July 5th, at Hillcrest Church of Christ, 650 E. Ambler Ave., Abilene TX, with Terry Brown and Jack Hardcastle officiating. Graveside service and burial will be at the Hale Center, TX Cemetery at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. Special thanks to Dr. Toby Williams and the caring and compassionate staff at Hendrick Hospital. If you wish to make a memorial donation in Mid's honor, the family asks that you please consider Mtendere Village Orphan's Home, 100X Missions, 7020 Fain Park Dr. #5 Montgomery, AL 36117 (or http://100xmissions.org/donations) or the Hillcrest Church of Christ Mission Fund, 650 E. Ambler Ave., Abilene, TX 79601. Thank you for noting that your donation is in memory of M. F. McKnight.