Harold Knox

Apopka, FL – Harold William Knox, was born July 27, 1921 in Groton, CT, to William L. & Annie (Laurenson) Knox and passed away on August 7, 2020 at the age of 99. He was preceded in death by his wife, Marion (Glynn-Cluette), his daughter Kathleen Knox and his younger brother, Robert E Knox.

Harold devoted his life to God, his family and his community. He was an alumnus of Bulkeley High School and Atlantic Union College and became a Pastor for the Seventh Day Adventist Church in 1949, continuing his pastoral duties intermittently through the early 90’s. He worked as administrator of Fuller Memorial Hospital, Attleboro, MA, and Director of Social Services at New England Memorial Hospital, Stoneham, MA. After retirement to North Carolina, he continued to work as an assistant administrator at Fletcher Hospital, NC, and as interim Human Resource Manager. With his interest in computers he also became involved in the design and installation of databases for Sunbelt Systems and Park Ridge Hospital while in NC.

Harold was a member and past president of the Stoneham Rotary club, a member of the Association of Hospital Social Work Directors, and on the Board of Directors of the Stoneham Red Cross. He was also a charter member to form the MA Association of Hospital Social Worker Directors. In addition to his service to the community Harold was also a WWII veteran having served in the Army in the Philippines and Japan in 1945.

Harold was blessed with a large and loving family. He married his best friend Marion in 1941 and helped raise their five children with patience, discipline, and humility. Harold is survived by his son William Knox and his wife Jean (Kovalski), his daughters, Bonnie (Knox) Tuoto and her husband Dave, Peggy (Knox) Oickle and Terri Knox. He is also survived by 11 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.



LIFE SKETCH OF MR. HAROLD W. KNOX


- Harold William Knox was born in Groton, CT on July 27, 1921 to William & Annie Knox.
- During the depression years of the 1930’s he said they lived on oatmeal 3 times a day and his dad would work odd jobs to buy food. They would buy day old bread for 5₵ and skim milk at the dairy for 10₵ a gallon.
- His first job at age 11 was delivering the newspapers and at the age of 14 he showed his entrepreneurial spirit by building a chicken coop and raising canaries.
- At 17 he worked as Head Usher at the theater in New London, CT which was where he met the young lady who would steal his heart and keep it for the next 70+ years… Marion Eleanor Glynn (or as he affectionally called her, Shorty).
- After graduating from Bulkeley High School, Harold left the theater for machine shop training and worked at a paper box manufacturing company until he was drafted into the military.
- He and Marion married in 1941 and rented their first home – an uninsulated waterfront cottage for $15/month. During this time Harold and Marion were baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
- In 1944 Harold received his draft notice and was sent to Camp Barkley, TX for his basic training. He spent the year of 1945 in the military in Texas, Missouri, the Philippines and Japan. In Missouri he completed army training in small vehicle maintenance and repair. In Japan he was present at the signing of the peace treaty by General McArthur. He was discharged from the Army in January of 1946.
- After the military Harold returned to the paper box company but felt called to church work. He tried being a colporteur and then in July of 1946 was offered work and enrollment at Atlantic Union College. He worked in the AUC Pressroom and began his Pastoral training. He graduated from AUC in June 1949 as an honor student with a Bachelor of Theology degree. In July he was promoted to foreman of the composing room at the AUC Press and was appointed as Pastor of the Natick, MA SDA church in August of that year. In March of 1951 he began his full-time ministry.
- Harold and Marion spent most of the Pastoral years in the Southern New England Conference, but did take a leave of absence for one year to go to the Bermuda Mission. In 1954 they moved to Athol, MA where he became pastor. They loved that area so much they purchased property in Petersham, MA and over the years built a beautiful 2nd home at what the family affectionally called the Camp. He worked as the camp naturalist at Camp Winnekeag for 5 years.
- In 1959 Harold was called to be Pastor of the So Attleboro, MA church and also to be Chaplain at Fuller Memorial Hospital. Later he was appointed as Administrator at Fuller where he stayed until he was invited to start a new department at New England Memorial Hospital. So in December of 1966 he became Director of Social Services at NEMH and the family moved to Stoneham, MA.
- During this time in Stoneham Harold was a member (and for one year President) of the Rotary Club, was a member of the Association of Hospital Social Worker Directors, served on the Board of Directors of the Stoneham Red Cross, joined the United Community Services Committee that created North Metropolitan Homemakers Program, and became a charter member of a meeting to form the MA Association of Hospital Social Work Directors.
- In 1982 Harold and Marion retired from New England Memorial and moved to Hendersonville, NC along with Harold’s parents, William & Annie, who had moved in with them about 5 years prior. William & Annie continued to live with them until 1992 when it became too difficult and they moved to the Florida Living Center.
- During his “retirement” in Hendersonville he was hired assistant to the administrator at Fletcher Hospital and served as interim Human Resource Manager. He also was hired by Sunbelt Systems to rewrite all department job descriptions. When the new Park Ridge Hospital began operation he designed and installed the Fundmaster database. In August 1989 he became Pastor of the Fairview, NC SDA church while they were building their new building – which was dedicated in October 1989 debt-free. This was to be his final Pastoral assignment.
- In January 2003 Marion was diagnosed as being in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Harold continued his loving care of her and their home through the next several years until it became obvious they she needed additional care and she was moved to the Florida Living Center and Harold sold their beautiful home on Chickadee Trail and moved to Apopka, Florida in 2012.
- Harold and Marion (who passed in 2012) had 5 children: William, Bonnie, Kathleen (who passed away in 2008), Peggy and Terri. They also have 11 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.