A Shout Out to My Heroes and Mentors

Jay L. Knight

My best friend

 

Jay L. Knight

 

Before I start to ramble on about a king among men, this is a picture of my pop and the last bass he caught. It took a while to get his walker down there but I would walk through hell to see that smile on his face. I think the Yankees cheered for HIM that day!  Do you think he is fishing with Mickey Mantle now or just enjoying the peace and quiet? Notice he was rockin the CTK INVESTIGATIONS, LLC fishing shirt and no doubt he would also be wearing a Chasin Bacon one if he was with us today.  My man, my friend, my leader, my mentor, my role model....

He would sing Forever in Blue Jeans but this is from me to my pop:

FOR GOOD:

I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you...

 

Knight, Jay L., passed away peacefully on April 23, 2009. Born June 24, 1945 in Manhattan, New York, Jay lived in Florida since 1978. Jay is survived by his loving and devoted wife Carol; his adorable "baby" sister Debbie Johnson (Rich); and his loyal brothers-in-law, Barry and Paul. He is also survived by his three dedicated children Sheri (Paul), Tracy, and Cory (Kimmy), and his six cherished grandchildren: Jared, Amanda, Samantha, Jake, Jessica, and Joshua. Services will be held on Sunday, April 26, 2009 at Ramat Shalom at 12:45, followed by interment at Menorah Gardens.

Yet none of that crap tells you anything about my father, mentor, leader, best friend, best grandfather and overal the best person I have ever known. More to come.

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Andrew David Pierce

 

Andrew “Hillbilly” Pierce

I hired Andrew before he graduated from law school as a law clerk. The one condition of his being hired was obvious he would need to own the name “Hillbilly”. We traveled a journey together in life and before he graduated law school he asked me if I wanted to go hunting. He said he would organize a few guys in the office for what I believe he called it, “A good ‘ol time even for a Jew.” As sure as the day was long he researched a hog hunting outfit in central Florida and Jason, Canor, Hillbilly and I went out for a meat hog or trophy boar hunt.  As I was raised to donate money to Greenpeace and save the wales, I had never hunted anything aside from toads (nasty little things that are poisonous to my dogs) but I was along for the ride. I had told everyone that when it was my turn I could care less what they wanted I would make my own decision.  As I descended from the half-track buggy we were in the guide pushed his foot on the gas and I fell off the back of the truck catching myself on the handle of the ladder only to look up to see Canor falling on me.  After this comedy of errors I got off the safety of the truck and walked with the guide into “the dungeon” as Canor called it. As the wild boar came out of the cabbage thicket I made my decision….. Hell yes I’m finna kill this pig.  {So you know, that is how you talk when you hunt apparently}.  Canor captured pictures of me going in the dungeon and my first kill and I have been hooked ever since.  I have since learned how to become more than proficient with a compound bow and have taken many animals over the years.

Andrew David Pierce: AKA “Hillbilly” unfortunately took his own life about two years after he passed the Florida bar but he is still with us.  His best friend Jason and I don’t miss a day without some hillbilly-ism.

I am thankful that our paths crossed,  I am honored to have known him and more honored to call him my friend. We all have many acquaintances in this world however a friend is someone you can call at any time of the day or night and they would stop the world to help you.  Hillbilly was my friend and is missed.  R.I.P Hillbilly and go fishin’ with my dad but don’t be shocked when he schools you on how to catch huge bass.  

 

 

 

 

 

For the record my Yankee cap was replaced temporarily with a cowyboy hat for the Florida Hog Hunting that began the Chasin Bacon journey.

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Richard "Rick" Matt

 

Rick ran circles around me, taught me that when I got lost in the woods there was no such thing for a hunter....hunters go "scouting"

Needless to say I went scouting many times during our days deer hunting in Georgia. Rick was a leader and founder of the Oak Ridge Hunt Club and a prolific writer for many magazines and an amazing artist. He handmade knifes and I am proud to have one of his pieces that will be handed down to my son with the story of Rick so his legacy lives on. To be clear, yes I did stand back as a man twenty years my senior single handedly loaded his atv on his truck but at least I did not post the picture of him showering OUTSIDE his trailer before our evening hunt. He was always there with answers, tips and pearls of wisdom that stay with me today. Even when I go into Gator Gun and Archery they know me as Rick's friend that is addicted to new bows.

His funeral was a testament to the man he was and how he lived his life. Money was as irrelevant to me as is was to him. We both judge people on who they are not what they have. Every walk of life was at his funeral to say goodbye and I was honored to be considered his friend. Yes he did make fun of me when during our dove hunt (three doves all day) he sat with his son and I was with a few of my buddies we decided to open the skies up with our ammo. I think Rick and his son shot four (4) times that day and my friends unloaded at least fifteen (15) boxes of shells because after all....... if it flies, it dies.

 

RICHARD A. MATT Age 61, of Lantana, passed away on April 30, 2010 in Atlantis after a brief battle with cancer. He was born in Cleveland, OH, living most of his life in Ft. Lauderdale, before moving to Lantana. Richard was a graduate of Ft. Lauderdale H.S., and received his bachelor degree in business administration from F.A.U. He had been employed with City Furniture, retiring as a general manager in 2004. Most recently, Richard, had been employed at the Lake Worth Herald, Outdoor Florida Magazine as the hunting and fishing director. He was a skilled craftsman specializing in making hand-crafted hunting knives selling them world-wide. He was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting in southern Georgia at the Oak Ridge and Briardam Hunt Clubs. His survivors include his wife, of 37 years, Jeanne, his son and his wife Christopher and Kimberly of Greenacres, FL, two brothers: Robert ( Louise) of Pennsylvania and Raymond ( Carol) of Boca Raton, FL, also many nieces, nephews and friends he had made over his lifetime.

 

RIP my friend and thank you again!

 

Rick's official obituary:

RICHARD A. MATT Age 61, of Lantana, passed away on April 30, 2010 in Atlantis after a brief battle with cancer. He was born in Cleveland, OH, living most of his life in Ft. Lauderdale, before moving to Lantana. Richard was a graduate of Ft. Lauderdale H.S., and received his bachelor degree in business administration from F.A.U. He had been employed with City Furniture, retiring as a general manager in 2004. Most recently, Richard, had been employed at the Lake Worth Herald, Outdoor Florida Magazine as the hunting and fishing director. He was a skilled craftsman specializing in making hand-crafted hunting knives selling them world-wide. He was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting in southern Georgia at the Oak Ridge and Briardam Hunt Clubs. His survivors include his wife, of 37 years, Jeanne, his son and his wife Christopher and Kimberly of Greenacres, FL, two brothers: Robert ( Louise) of Pennsylvania and Raymond ( Carol) of Boca Raton, FL, also many nieces, nephews and friends he had made over his lifetime. His family will receive friends on Tuesday, at the funeral home, between 2:00 -4:00 and 6:00 - 8:00 PM. A funeral mass will be celebrated at St. Luke Catholic Church, Palm Springs, on Wednesday at 10:00 AM. Richard will be laid to rest immediately following at Lake Worth Memory Gardens.

PS: I still go scouting almost every time in the field.

 

 

 

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