Roger D. Knight

1935 - 2015

Roger Durrell Knight, 79
WESTBROOK - Roger Durrell Knight, who valued family, service, story and song, passed away at his home on Smiling Hill Farm on Sunday, May 3rd at the age of 79. Roger had been fighting Myelodysplastic Syndrome for the past 9 years. He was very thankful for the medical professionals that have helped him these last years for their personal care and support especially Jaime Fairfield.
Roger was born in Westbrook on May 7, 1935 to Percy Knight of Westbrook and Blanche Stone Knight originally of Cornish. Roger was raised on his family's farm, established in 1720, with his sisters, Frances Knight Marsh and Bernice Knight Shorter both of whom pre-deceased him. Roger named the farm, Smiling Hill Farm, after a favorite childhood book. He enjoyed his early life sharing the farm with his nephews, John Marsh & Eben Marsh and niece Mary Marsh.
Roger is survived by his wife of 58 years, Sally (Percival) Knight and together they raised six children that included two sets of twins. Darlene Knight Hall and her husband David Hall reside in Gray, Maine. David Knight and his wife Deborah Babkirk Knight live in Westbrook. Rebecca Knight Lilley resides in Scarborough with her husband Mark Lilley. Warren Knight resides in Loxahatchee, Florida with his wife Jeanette Wolfe Knight. Marsha Knight lives in Buxton, Maine with her husband Stephen Gorman. Michael Knight resides in Westbrook. Roger leaves behind 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, nephews and many other relations & friends.
He attended Valentine Elementary School and Westbrook High School where he graduated in 1953 with his future wife, Sally. Roger attended the Thompson School of Agriculture at the University of New Hampshire, graduated in 1957 with a degree in Animal Husbandry and returned to the family dairy farm with a goal of modernization and improvement. He was responsible for transitioning the farm to mechanization by purchasing the farm's first tractor and installing the farm's bulk milk cooling tank.
Roger contracted the school bus service for Westbrook and many still fondly remember the adventure of him driving them to school. Roger continued the family heritage of logging during the winter months. He acquired and restored a sawmill and expanded the farm wood business which was separately incorporated in partnership with his nephew, Eben, and became Hillside Lumber.
In 1982 Roger and his daughter, Rebecca, started an ice cream business at the farm. To attract ice cream customers, Roger and his wife Sally began the Barnyard Animal Exhibits in 1984. The Barnyard was envisioned by Roger & Sally to be an educational experience instilling in new generations an appreciation for the importance of sustainable agriculture and humane animal husbandry. Roger loved to shepherd school groups around the farm, conducting personal tours explaining the history and practice of farming. Local school children benefited from his informative and entertaining presentations and Roger was proud to be at the forefront of agritourism.
In 1995 Roger and son, David, constructed a dairy facility in the red barn that has been a regional landmark since 1915 to bottle pasteurized milk in traditional glass bottles. He attended an artisanal cheese course at the University of Vermont and began making cheese at the dairy. This cheese-making hobby evolved into Silvery Moon Creamery.
Roger had many interests and participated actively in the community. He was an accomplished teamster who paired and drove many oxen and horses. Roger was Cumberland County Young Farmer of the year in 1958. He was a member and officer of the Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District. Roger was a member of the Westbrook Zoning Board of Appeals, a City Council Alderman and Council President. Roger was a past master of the Westbrook Masonic Temple Lodge. Roger enrolled his woodlands in the American Tree Farm system and was a supporter of the Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine. Roger was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church and served as president of the church council. He was an honorary member of the North Scarborough Grange. Roger and Sally were avid square dancers and members of Sunset Squares, they also volunteered regularly at the Portland Soup Kitchen where he donated dairy products from the farm. Roger also restored many tractors, trucks and cars and loved the challenge and camaraderie of finding parts and seeking solutions to technical problems.
Late in life Roger reluctantly took voice lessons and a new personal passion emerged. A song with a friend or acquaintance allowed Roger to reach out and share his new passion. He formed Paul's Pals, an ad hoc singing troupe, which performed for the benefit of many shut-ins. Bringing people together to share songs and stories at a Paul's Pal event became his rewarding passion that filled in his retirement years.
Roger often told how much he enjoyed his very young childhood. Roaming with his dog Lady seeing new and exciting things happening every day. He often recalled going with Lady to pick wild berries of all kinds and glow in the praise from his mother, as she would do the hulling, canning and preparing all the treats as desert for supper. His favorite was fresh warm blueberry biscuits. The winters were cold with a lot of snow. At a very young age he would ride on the big sled pulled by oxen. He would break up twigs and sticks for a fire to keep the help warm on a work break. When the sled was loaded with a cord of long length firewood, the men folk would always prepare a nest on top of the load for Roger to sit in with a blanket to keep warm. Often times the men would put Lady up with Roger and they kept each other warm under the blanket. The sun would be setting when they got to the wood shed. When the team had been unhooked from the sled Roger would pick up the goad stick and his father would let him drive the oxen through the big open door into the warmth of the barn.
A celebration of Roger's life will be held on his birthday, Thursday, May 7th at 3:00 PM at Smiling Hill Farm. Smiling Hill Farm and Hillside Lumber will be closing at 2:00 PM on that date. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.dolbyfuneralchapels.com
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to
Trinity Lutheran Church
612 Main Street
Westbrook, Maine 04092
and
Hospice of Southern Maine
180 US Route 1
Scarborough, Maine 04074