WILMINGTON, North Carolina — Stephen E. Knight, 82, of Wilmington, North Carolina, passed away unexpectedly June 4, 2025 from an intracerebral hemorrhage.

Born in Rockland, Maine, on December 20, 1942, he was the son of Edward B. Knight and Alice (Hart) Knight. He was raised in East Union, Maine, a sub-village of Union, where there was always something to do – fishing, sledding, skating, biking, swimming and always enough friends to make two teams for any sport.

He graduated Salutatorian from Union High School in 1961 and was well known regionally for his academic and athletic abilities. He then attended the University of Maine in Orono, graduating in 1965 with a Mechanical Engineering degree and moving to Schenectady, New York to begin a lifelong work relationship with General Electric Corporation in the Power Generation Division.

In 1967 he was sent to Nagoya, Japan to supervise construction of a GE steam turbine generator. During the nine-month project, he met his future wife, Betty Rebecca (“Becky”) Hartman, from Tennessee, who was in Nagoya working for the United States Foreign Service. Returning to the U.S., they married in 1969.

Over the next decade Steve and Becky welcomed two sons, Scott and Kevin, and a daughter, Susan, all whilst transferring to several GE offices throughout the Northeast, finally returning to Schenectady. The family took up residence in Guilderland, New York. In 1998 Steve retired and settled in Wilmington, North Carolina.

He never forgot his Maine roots, returning every summer with his family to visit his parents and family. They also traveled yearly to Becky’s family in Tennessee. A loving husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, brother-in-law and son-in-law, Steve was always ready to help out. He was a man of few words but always got his point across; never boastful or too proud but always upfront and honest. He will be greatly missed by many.

Steve was predeceased by his parents; nephew Brian Bartlett; great niece, Holly Bartlett; nephew Brett Gleason; brothers-in-law, Gerald Bartlett, Reginald Heath and James Belknap; and his wife’s parents, Newton and Newell Hartman.

He is survived by his wife, Becky; children Scott and wife Mariela of Mineola, New York, Kevin of Mineola, New York, and Susan of Wilmington, North Carolina; his grandchildren, Lucas Knight, Sebastian Knight and Sophia Knight; sisters, Marlene Bartlett of Washington, Maine, Beth Belknap of Damariscotta, Maine, Connie Heath of Waldoboro, Maine, Janet Boetsch and husband, Nick, of Port Charlotte, Florida, Jack and Tricia Mills of Knoxville, Tennessee; plus many loving nephews and nieces and great-nephews and nieces.

The family will hold a Celebration of Life at a future date.