Granville S. Knox, Jr.
Granville Sloan Knox, Jr. – dedicated husband, father, grandfather and friend – passed away in his sleep in Santa Barbara, CA on Father’s Day, June 16, 2024.
Born on May 18, 1938, in Los Angeles, CA, he was the son of Granville and Frances Knox, Sr., Gran graduated from Glendale High School in 1956 before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton. One of the few surviving Atomic Veterans, Gran participated in the Operation Plumbbob series shot HOOD, which was the largest atmospheric nuclear detonation at the Nevada Test Site from a balloon 1,500 feet above Yucca Flat.
With no protective gear, Gran often recounted, “During the blast, when I put my arms across my eyes, I could actually see my bones. I could see my own skeleton”. Honorably discharged in 1958, Gran continued his education, earning a bachelor’s degree in Business Science in 1966 from California State University Northridge.
At CSUN, Granville proposed to his soon to be wife, Lucinda “Cindi”, on their first date. They married in Burbank, CA and moved north to Santa Barbara, CA as newlyweds where Gran became one of the founders of Infomag. After they adopted a daughter, Mary Anne, in 1973, Gran soon earned his general contractor’s license and subsequently worked at Westmont College and Santa Barbara City College. In 1998, he retired as Director of Facilities and Operations from SBCC, to travel the country with Cindi in their RV until her death in 2004.
Widowed after 41 years of marriage, Gran filled his days fishing, playing with his dog, golfing, watching classic westerns and restoring his 1953 Studebaker Commander Starliner. But his favorite passion was volunteering with SBCC’s Woolly crew on their many geology field trips.
Gran was a no-nonsense, independent, stalwart, and encouraging husband, father and Gran-Pa. His granddaughter, named after his late wife, loved their pool time together and he looked forward to unleashing “Lulu’s” inner geologist by breaking open crystal geodes with her.
Gran was preceded to heaven by his parents and wife, Lucinda Knox. He is survived by his daughter, Mary Anne (Jon Valois); one grandchild, Lucinda; and his sister Susan Eccles (Hugh).
A private service is planned. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the SBCC Foundation, the US Marine Corp or Hospice of Santa Barbara.