Obituary of The Rev'd Thomas Stephen Knox

The death of The Rev’d Thomas Knox of Clifton Royal, NB, occurred Saturday, April 17th, 2010, at the Saint John Regional Hospital. Born in Saint John, NB on May 4th, 1924, he was the son of the late John and Edith (Stephens) Knox. Thomas was educated in the Saint John area before graduating from Saint John High School in 1942. Following his graduation he enrolled in the Royal Canadian Air Force and served from 1942 to 1946. In 1951, he graduated from Bishops University where he studied Arts and Theology. He completed his post-graduate work at the Theological College in Chichester, England and also became A Fellow of the College of Preachers, Washington Cathedral, Washington, DC. He was ordained Deacon in Holy Trinity Cathedral, Quebec City on March 27th, 1951 and was later ordained into the Priesthood at St. Matthew’s, Quebec City on the Feast of the Purification on February 2nd, 1952. Archbishop Philip Carrington led both ordination services. In 1957, Thomas was commissioned into the Canadian Chaplains Corp. and was Commissary in the U.S.A. for the Bishop of Antique, Orland Lindsey. He also served as Regional Dean and Consultant in both the diocese of Fredericton and Maine. During his summers, Thomas served as a student minister in Highfield-Bagdad, NB, Prince William, NB and Thunder Bay, ON. Thomas served as Curate under Archdeacon (later Archbishop) William W. Davis at St. Matthew’s Church, Quebec City and later went on to become the Priest-in-charge at Lake St. John, Port Daniel-Shigawake on the Gaspe, Curate at St. Thomas’, N.D.G Montreal, Quebec and Rector of Trinity, Saco, Maine in 1957. He was responsible for having a historic church moved and restored before taking on yet another project which was the restoration and refurbishment of Christ Church in Biddeford. Next he became Curate at St. Phillips, Coral Gables in Florida for two years before returning to Maine, adding to his duties, the Parishes of St. Luke’s, Caribou, the Advent, Limestone and finally St. John’s, Presque Isle, where he spent a happy and productive ministry. In 1989, Thomas retired after twenty-three years of being a Rector and made his home in Clifton Royal, where he was very active in most of the surrounding parishes as an Interim, Assistant or Holiday Supply Minister. Jokingly he would comment that he kept retiring from time to time so he could receive the lovely going away gifts...yet again. More recently Thomas remained very active in many local churches which included, St. Paul’s, Rothesay, St. James - Broad Street, Saint John, All Saints, East Saint John, the Parish of Kingston, St. Augustine’s, Quispamsis, St. Luke’s, Gondola Point and Trinity Anglican Church, Saint John. Thomas is survived by two sisters, Shirley McCracken and Marlene Marks (Harold), brother and companion, C.H. Brent Haslam, several special nieces and nephews. Arrangements are entrusted to Kennebecasis Community Funeral Home, 152 Pettingill Road, Quispamsis, NB, (506) 849-2119 with visitation on Tuesday from 6-9 PM. Members of the Royal Canadian Legion will hold a Tribute to a Veteran Service on Tuesday at 7:00 PM. A memorial service will be held at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Rothesay, on Wednesday, April 21st, 2010, at 1:00 PM, with a reception to follow. A private interment will take place in All Saints Anglican Cemetery, Clifton Royal. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society, the SPCA in your own community or to a charity of the donor’s choice. Online donations and condolences may be made at: www.kennebecasisfh.com