Name: Viewing for John J. Bouknight
Start: 2020-11-16T23:00:00.000Z
End: 2020-11-17T01:00:00.000Z
Location: Caughman-Harman Funeral Home - Chapin Chapel

John J. Bouknight
January 6, 1927 - November 13, 2020
Chapin, South Carolina - A viewing for John J. Bouknight, 93, will be held from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. on Monday, November 16, 2020 at Caughman-Harman Funeral Home, Chapin Chapel. Graveside services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, November 17, 2020 in Bethel Lutheran Church Cemetery with burial to follow. Memorials may be made to Epworth Children's Home in Columbia. Caughman-Harman Funeral Home, Chapin Chapel, is in charge.
Mr. Bouknight died Friday, November 13, 2020. Born in Columbia, SC, he was the son of the late James Roland Bouknight and Corrie Ella Rister. He was pre-deceased by his wife of 49 years, Janie Pauline Brown Bouknight.
Surviving are his son and daughter-in-law, John J. Bouknight III and Judy Bouknight of Columbia; grandchildren, Julie A.B. Spires and her husband, Chris Spires of Lexington, SC, along with their boys, Alex Eagans and Preston Eagans and his wife, Harley with their three children, Brynlee, Azlen (Izzard), and Kash; Daniel Bouknight and his wife, Barbara Bouknight of Chapin, SC and their daughter, Anna; granddaughters by love, Tiffany Holland and her husband, Scottie Holland and their children, Hunter, Patrick and Abby and Nikki Gray and her daughter, Winter; sister-in-law, Priscilla Brown of Chadbourn, NC.
Our Papa was a proud Disabled Army Veteran, served in the occupation of Germany during WWII. He worked at the Olympia Plant as a chemist. He loved to paint, fish, and garden. His favorite thing was to spend time with his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren. He will be remembered for his kindness, generosity, and giving heart. He was a member of Bethel Lutheran Church.
Thank you to Rapha Residential Care and Hospice Nurse, Julie Price and CNA, Canaria Norris for the care they have given him over the past two years.
www.caughmanchapin.com

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Published by The State on Nov. 15, 2020.

Memories and Condolences
for John Bouknight

4 Entries

Julie spires

November 18, 2020

I would like to share what I wrote for my Papa's funeral.

My Papa, My Hero..everyone that knows me, they know all about my Papa. There is not enough time in the day to tell you all about him. So, for now I will share just a glimpse of the man I call My Papa.

Growing up we would all go to my Papa and Grandma's every Saturday and then a week during the summer. We never knew what kind of adventure we would have in store for us. We may be out here on Lake Murray out fishing the greatest fisherman we knew. Yes, us little kids would catch all the fish. He wouldn't catch one. Then we may be running through the woods with our homemade slingshots and bow and arrows. Next thing you know, we could be riding those horses. We would wear our fancy newspaper hats and the horses were the ones on a stick with the newspaper heads. We even had a huge teepee one time. Very rare toys were bought. My Papa spent his time with us. He shared his imagination with us.

My Papa would take us grocery shopping for some real food in his white Pinto Station Wagon. That was a real treat right there. You do know that grocery list right? Mr. Good bars, icecream, peanuts, chips and good ole Check cola's. We would eat watermelon on the front porch and spitting the seeds was so much fun.

Papa also shared his love for art with us. He let us paint right there beside him. When we did this, it was on the porch where it was nice and quite. If it got too warm on that porch, don't worry. Papa would whistle a wind up for us.

I believe everyone that knew my Papa knew him by his heart. I'm not talking about the mechanical one. I'm talking about his most loving and giving heart. My Papa would always make sure that his family and friends knew he loved and cared for him. He was thankful for everything. It didn't matter what it was. If anyone needed help with something and he could help. My Papa would be there. As most know, he had a pretty nice size garden. The things he grew wasn't just for him. It was for everyone he came in contact with. It didn't matter if you knew him or not. You would not walk away from his house empty handed. It may be a can of tomato juice. But he was going to give you something.

Just to name a few things that Papa taught some of us. How to shoot a BB gun for the first time, how to chop fire wood, to be a real man, how to tell a good joke, family always comes first, you may be 40 years old but you are still too young to take that boat out, to be thankful for every meal, keep laughing, to make sure you take care of the ones you love, it doesn't matter what someone's skin color is...you love them the same, something may have only been twenty dollars but if you can use it everyday and it still holds up...that thing is now worth what? A thousand dollars?

The things I have said here. Some of you know exactly what I am talking about. I don't need to go into detail. Just remember those moments. As we all have our precious memories.

Now, that my Papa and Grandma are now reunited after almost 18 years. I really have to wonder something. Do y'all think Papa is getting a word in now? If it isn't, you know he is enjoying every minute of it.

As I close this, please remember two things. First thing is something I heard all my life. It would always make me smile. A lot of times he said it at the best of times. Just thinking about it I can hear him saying it.
"Julie can't do no wrong because Julie knows no wrong."
Then there is this. There become a time where he didn't recognize me. Either I was my Grandma, his Grandma or I was a small child to him again. When I would say I love you Papa he response would be "Papa loves everybody".
Knowing this I know if there was one thing in this world he loved being a Papa and I loved being his little girl. I love you Papa.