The James E. Knisley Jr. Memorial Foundation was established to honor and remember the legacy of James E. Knisley Jr. who passed away in 2005. Jim, or “Hawk” as he known from his early sports days, was very involved in athletics growing up and was a die-hard Cleveland sports fan all of his life.
Born in 1947, Jim lived in NE Ohio most of his life, graduating from Sandy Valley High School in 1965 and immediately began working at the Timken Company for 37 years until his retirement in 2002. Jim married the love of his life, Sue Waginske, in 1972.
Jim was a baseball coach at Saint Thomas Aquinas High School for several years and held a strong faith as a member of St. Stephen Martyr Lutheran Church.
Jim had three sons. Jeff, his oldest son, was a successful local comedian who struggled with addiction, passing away in 2015. Jeff is best remembered for his caring personality and his ability to make everyone laugh. Tom, the middle son, was involved in sports growing up and always had a dream of becoming a Police Officer. Tom has been involved in law enforcement since the age of 17. He is currently a Police Captain and instructs cadets in the Police Academy. Mike, the youngest, was involved in sports growing up and band in high school, going on to pursue a career in engineering before transferring to the education profession.
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