The Gift of a Lifetime

Fall 2020 - You could say that Baylor University is in Dale Knight's blood. You could even say he bleeds green and gold, even though he never attended Baylor.

The story of Dale's Baylor connection begins with his parents, Herbert and Ina Faye Knight. In the late 1940s, early in his parents' marriage and before Dale was born, his mother experienced a medical emergency that, compounded by her having a rare blood type, left her in danger of losing her life due to blood loss. At the time, the couple lived in Waco, where Dale's father served as manager of the local Luby's cafeteria.

"My mother and father never talked to me about this event, but my uncle, my mother's brother, told me that Baylor students lined up to give blood to save my mother's life," Dale said. "I've never forgotten that were it not for the kindness of those Baylor students, I wouldn't be here nor would my younger sister, Mary."

SHARING A PASSION

A resident of Dallas and a graduate of what he describes as "the large state university 100 miles south of Waco," Dale recently updated his estate plan to include a gift to Baylor that will establish the Ina Faye and Herbert Dale Knight Study Abroad Endowed Scholarship Fund in memory of his parents.

It's a gift, he said, that blends his passion for travel with "a payback of sorts" for the kindness and compassion shown by Baylor students seven decades ago.

"My career was in corporate communications, working for a large financial services company, which provided me the opportunity to travel to major cities and small towns throughout North America," he said. "I approached each trip, each new destination, with genuine excitement. I left the company about 20 years ago, and with a decent investment portfolio in place I bought an around-the-world ticket and began globetrotting. I haven't stopped."

EXPANDING HORIZONS

Dale said his parents always felt a closeness to Baylor. "I appreciated the solid values the school has historically represented." His gift, he noted, actually comes out of the estate of his father, who died in August 2019 at the age of 92 after a 50-year career with Luby's Cafeterias. Following an early beginning as manager of the Luby's in downtown Waco, Herbert Knight managed Luby's cafeterias in Dallas and then in McAllen, where Dale graduated from high school. Following his success as a unit manager, Dale's father moved into upper management with Luby's, relocating to Dallas as area director and then to San Antonio as director of all operations.

Dale's mother passed away in 2001 at the age of 75.

"My father's will directs that my sister and I receive inheritance in measured amounts over a five-year period," Dale said. "Thus, I'd have to wait five years for the amount I wanted to give, but by making a planned gift I can make the commitment now. Setting aside funds I'd be inheriting for a scholarship was something that felt right."

Dale said he hopes the scholarship honoring his parents will enable Baylor students to gain a greater appreciation for the global community.

"My father and mother worked so hard to provide a better life for me and Mary. Since I have no children, this scholarship in some way allows me to share the benefits I've enjoyed thanks to my parents' sacrifices," Dale said, adding that he couldn't think of a better way for young people to expand their horizons and their worldview than a study-abroad program.

"My life has been enriched beyond measure by the places I've been and the many friends I've made around the world," he said. "I love the quote by Saint Augustine: 'The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.' I want to give Baylor students the inspiration and wherewithal to begin that journey."