Kenneth Eugene Knight

It is with heavy hearts to announce the peaceful passing of Kenneth “Ken” Eugene Knight on Wednesday, June 25, 2025 where he was surrounded by the love of his immediate family and through the thoughts and prayers of family and friends afar.

Ken was born on November 16,1938 in Flaxton, ND to Harland and Ilene (Jensen) Knight. In high school, he was referred by most as “Kenny”. He was a “rock star” on the basketball team, and courted Loretta Botton who (in Ken’s words), “was the best-looking cheerleader and girl in the whole county”. They later married on August 3 ,1958. This year would have been their 67th wedding anniversary.

After graduating high school, Ken continued his education at North Dakota State University earning a B.S. degree in Meat and Animal Science with a minor in Communications. Ken’s professional journey began with teaching at NDSU, but soon expanded into a distinguished career within the meat and livestock industry. After several career moves, he ended up working for Iowa Pork Industries in South Saint Paul until its closure in the 1990s. It was then that he joined the National Farmers Organization (NFO) traveling extensively for speaking engagements on livestock marketing. After a period of time and effort, he established his own company, Knightro Marketing Inc., which allowed him to continue advocating for the industry through writing and public speaking and, he became widely known for his syndicated column, The Knightro Report.

Faith played a central role in Ken’s life, and for the past 45 years, Joy Lutheran Church in Prescott, WI has been his spiritual “home.” He served as president for both the Joy Lutheran Church council and the local Kiwanis Club. Ken's life-long passion was horse racing. He rode as a jockey in his youth and was a dedicated follower of the sport throughout his life. He enjoyed being in the barn with his horses and accepting auctioneering gigs across the country, but his greatest passion was spending time with his family friends.

Ken was preceded in death by his parents, Harland and Ilene Knight; brothers-in-law Ronald Breding and Richard Botton, and sister-in-law Ester Logsdon.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Loretta; his daughters Debbie (Ron) Kinneman and Pam (Randy) Kinneman; his four grandchildren, Kurtis (Rachelle), Joshua (Kendra), Nathan (Amber), and Breanna; his great-grandchildren; Nolan, Rhys and Hayden; and his sister, Ardell Breding – along with many cousins, nephews, nieces, and special friends.

To his grandchildren, Ken leaves behind the enduring values of strength, perseverance, and excellence—what he called being "Jockey Tough." He hoped his legacy would be defined by making a difference in the lives of those he loved the most.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 12:00 PM on Monday, July 14, 2025, at Joy Lutheran Church: 1435 St. Croix St., Prescott, WI. Visitation will begin at 10:00 AM and continue until the start of the service.

Services are entrusted to O’Connell Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Prescott. For more information, please visit www.oconnellfuneralhomes.com or call 715-262-5404.