Obituary of David Knights

David Holmes Knights, 60, died unexpectedly at home in Hopewell Borough, NJ, on September 24, 2013. Born to Mary H. and Robert E. Knights in Newburyport, MA, on December 20, 1952, David grew up in Georgetown, MA. He graduated from Phillips Academy Andover in 1971 and from Brown University, where he received his A.B. in Colonial American History. After earning his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1980, David went on to renovate and develop brownstone buildings in the South End of Boston, as a founding partner of Peet, Bensley and Knights. In 1986, he moved to New Jersey, joining the real estate advising firm, K.S. Sweet Associates, now known as Picus Associates, where he was Vice President. David was a dedicated civil servant with a passion for historical preservation. In 1997, he was elected to the Hopewell Borough Council, and served as its longtime President until the time of his death. David was instrumental in restoring the Hopewell Railroad Station, as well as preserving the land for Hopewell Park and St. Michael's Farm Preserve. A Delaware & Raritan Canal Commissioner from 2004 to 2013, David became President of Preservation New Jersey in 2011, and at the time of his death was spearheading its current restoration initiative, the 1867 Sanctuary at Ewing. David is survived by his wife of 27 years, Linda Francis Knights, and his three children, Charles, Owen, and Caroline, as well as his sister, Ruth Knights Littlefield, and her family. He was a loving husband, father, brother, and uncle and a generous friend to many. He will be greatly missed. A memorial service will be held at 1:30 PM on Friday, October 4, at the Hopewell Railroad Station, 2 Railroad Place, Hopewell, NJ 08525. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to Preservation New Jersey to support the organization and the 1867 Sanctuary at Ewing project. (PNJ, 310 W. State St., Trenton, NJ, 08618)