Funeral services for William Dale Knox, 93, of Emory, were held on December 1 at Lone Oak United Methodist Church. Interment was at Lone Oak Cemetery with military honors.
Mr. Knox died on November 23, 2025, at Hunt Regional Hospital in Greenville. He was born on July 9, 1932, in Mount Vernon, to Murrell Smith Knox and LaVelle White. He attended Lone Oak High School where he played football and basketball and ran track. He was awarded the Balfour award during his time there. He graduated in 1949.
In 1953 he joined the U.S. Air Force after graduating from East Texas State Teacher’s College at Commerce with a Bachelor’s degree.
After training as a pilot in Moltrie, Georgia, and Lubbock, he flew the F80, B52 and B57 Canberra. He served as a pilot and as Air Operations Officer in both the U.S. and at Johnson Air Force Base, Japan. At Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, he served as a Minuteman Missile Launch Officer. While stationed there he earned his Master’s degree in Business Administration from Ohio State University.
He was deployed to Vietnam on numerous missions. His highest military honor is the Bronze Star. Returning to Barksdale Air Force Base from Vietnam, he was assigned as Services Operations and Staff Officer. He was also in the same position at Ismir, Turkey, and Duluth International Airport, Minnesota. He retired from the United States Air Force in 1981 after 28 years of service.
Mr. Knox and his wife Deanna were together 43 years. Their lives together included his son and daughter, and numerous grand- and great-grandchildren. They traveled, enjoyed fishing, reading together and visiting grandchildren. He played guitar and piano by ear. He had a beautiful voice and sang in his church choir in Aurora Colorado.
Mr. Knox is survived by his wife, Deanna; children, Linda Su Knox (Robert Spain), William D. Knox Jr. (Dr. Juliana Fort); grandchildren, Emily, Nicholas, Eleanore, William, Clyde and Ernest; and eight great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Marissa Ann; and brother, Jack Neal Knox.