Michael Kelly Knox

Michael Kelly Knox, born on February 14, 1962, in Mountain Home Idaho, passed away on December 13, 2025 in Mountain Home, withhis family by his side. Michael was the beloved son of Dale and Josephine Knox and spent his formative years in Mountain Home, Idaho. He joined three older siblings: Gayle, David and Debra.

Michael lived nearly all of his life in Mountain Home. Attending grades K-12. Michael played Jr High and High School football, graduating from Mountain Home High School in 1980.

As a child born on February 14th, he always thought that all the decorations and valentines were done in his honor! As he grew older, he developed a love of hunting…first with Dad and later with his close friends.

He began his college education at Boise State University, where he lived in a basement apartment in Lil and Lou Jausoro’s home. Much to his delight, Lil kept him well supplied with many of his favorite Basque foods. The following year, he transferred to the University of Idaho, where he became a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. After moving out of the Delta house, he shared a home with Mike “Buzz” Roberts, a fellow Mountain Home resident.

Friends and family would send him mail addressed simply to “Big White House on the Corner, Moscow.”

During his time at the University of Idaho, he held several interesting jobs while attending school, including working as a bartender at The Nobby, selling cars for Essellburn Toyota, and eventually earning his realtor’s license, which he practiced for a time. He later returned to Mountain Home to help David and his father with the family business, Transport Petroleum.

After he returned to Mountain Home, he joined the local Volunteer Fire Department. Following a Fire Department meeting one night, he met Terry Cantrell Winings. The couple started dating and later married October 15, 1996. Michael welcomed Terry’s daughters Jessie and Jamie with open arms. In July 1997, they all welcomed Dale Jay into the family.

Michael later went to work for the Mountain Home Highway District, from which he retired in 2024. Just weeks into his retirement, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. After three months of chemotherapy treatments, Terry suddenly became ill and passed away. Michael continued chemotherapy for an additional six months, after which doctors determined he was a candidate for a Whipple procedure. On New Year’s Eve, he rang the “cancer-free” bell at St. Luke’s. Shortly thereafter, it was discovered that the cancer had returned.

At that time, his siblings, sister-in-law Lisa, and cousin Teresa Yrazabal Paige decided to make a trip to the Basque Country of Spain with Michael. What a memorable couple of weeks it was!

Upon return from the Basque Country, he decided he would not pursue any further treatment for cancer.

Michael was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Terry, his parents, grandparents on both sides, his brother-in-law, Bob Miller, and his son-in-law, Scott Markham. He is survived by his children Jessie Jewett (Dustin), Jamie Markham, and Dale Knox; grandchildren: Layla Jewett, Jaxon Markham, Taylor and Libby Jewett and Jariah Markham; siblings, Gayle Knox Hatch, David Knox (Elisa), Debra Knox South (Randal); father-in-law, J.C. Cantrell, sisters-in-law Carla Miller and Lorie Novinger(Todd), and two aunts, Donna Knox Hobson and Ramona Harris Yrazabal. He had many cousins and nieces and nephews. All generations loved Michael or Tio Michael and all with sorely miss him.

Services are scheduled for Monday, December 22, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at the Mountain Home Elks Lodge.