David and Nancy Knight’s career and family path have taken them on a somewhat circuitous route, but the Indian Lake High School graduates settled down just a few miles from where they started.
David and Nancy Knight are surrounded by their family a few years ago at their rural DeGraff home. (PHOTO | SUBMITTED) |
They reside on the 1880 farmstead owned by Mr. Knight’s great-grandfather, Lewis Hengsteler, along south County Road 24 north of DeGraff. His mother was born and raised on the farm.
Mr. and Mrs. Knight have been named the Bellefontaine Examiner’s 2016 Farm Family of the Year.
Mr. Knight, who was 14 when his father died in a car crash, grew up on a farm “about three miles north of here,” along with his brother, Don. The boys and their mother continued farming after their father died.
“My brother and I grew up fast,” he said.
The couple attended Ohio State University and married in 1964 when Mrs. Knight received her bachelor’s degree in nursing. Mr. Knight — six months younger but a class year behind in school — graduated in 1965 and started working at Navistar in Springfield, a position he held for six months until he was drafted in the Army.
He served three years and was stationed stateside in Georgia and Virginia and Mrs. Knight accompanied him and worked as a nurse. He returned to Navistar and eventually worked in management there for 37 years.
When it became apparent his mother needed more help on the farm, the Knights returned to Logan County and built the house they live in now in 1971.
Read complete FARMING SPECIAL in Thursday’s Examiner.
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