Charles L. Mcknight

Charles L. McKnight, 84, of Coal Valley, Illinois, well known Quad City healthcare professional, died Friday, December 9, 2016, in New Perspective Senior Living, Silvis, Illinois.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Trimble Funeral Home, 1700 1st Street. Coal Valley. Burial is in Glenwood Cemetery, Coal Valley. Visitation will be 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Respiratory Department at Trinity College of Nursing & Health Sciences or Alzheimer's Association.

Charles was born on April 13, 1932, in Moulton, Iowa, the son of Leslie and Lorraine Spurgeon McKnight. He married Bonnie Jeanne Youngquist in Moline, Illinois, on February 14, 1959.

He was an Air Force Veteran of the Korean War. Charlie spent 40 years of his life working in healthcare in the Quad City community. He was a local pioneer in the specialty of inhalation/respiratory therapy. He started the first Department of Inhalation Therapy at Lutheran Hospital in 1959. In 1962, he became the 113th Registered Inhalation Therapist worldwide. In 1965, Charlie and Drs. Eric Peterson and Joseph Borque started the first Quad City Accredited Respiratory Therapy School at Lutheran Hospital. This program endured at Black Hawk College until the late 1990's. He was also instrumental in the formation of the Illinois Society for Respiratory Therapy, an organization which he served as President in 1977. In 1980, he was recognized by this organization for outstanding contributions to the field of respiratory therapy. After the merger of the Illinois hospitals, Charlie served in various administrative positions. At the time of his retirement in December, 1997, he held the position of Chief Operating Officer for Trinity Medical Center.

Charlie loved the outdoors and spent much of his non-working hours hunting, fishing, gardening, and training gun dogs, including Bella, Baron, and Gunner, to name a few. He also enjoyed cooking barbecue. Most of all, Charlie loved his family, and spending time with his wife, children, and grandchildren.

Survivors include his wife, Bonnie; children and spouses, Lori and Brian Barber, and Greg and Patricia McKnight, all of Coal Valley; grandchildren and spouses, Jason and Sarah Barber of Cave Creek, Arizona, Nicole and Nick Leingang of Coal Valley, Nate Beuseling of Silvis, Illinois, and Denise and Kurt Barman of Alpha, Illinois; great-grandchildren. Aidan and Lucas Leingang. and Kyle and Grace Barman. He is also survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Larry and Mary Kay McKnight of Holmen, Wisconsin; two nieces, Kay and Kerry, and a nephew, Kelly and their families. He also leaves behind his beloved Maltese, Henry. He was preceded in death by his parents.

Charlie's family invites friends to share stories and condolences and light a free candle in his memory at www.TrimbleFuneralHomes.com.