On June 1, 1957, John Henderson Knox was born to parents Margaret Jean and John T. Knox. Raised in Point Richmond, California, John passed away under a full moon early Saturday morning February 27, 2021, surrounded by family in his home.
John had many nicknames throughout his life. As a child, his father affectionately called him “little flower”, during his teenage years he was dubbed “Johnny”, and when he became a father his wife, Aracely, often referred to him as “Big John”. Those who knew John Knox knew he was a man of many talents, the most prolific being his musical ability. John started playing the piano at age five and fell in love with jazz music as a young boy. Throughout his teenage years and early twenties, John played professionally with his closest friends in bands called “Murphy’s Law” and “Bent Umbrella”. It was also at this time that he met the love of his life, Aracely Estrada. Paired up for a school project at John F. Kennedy High School, John and Aracely became high school sweethearts and were married September 5, 1981, in Point Richmond. As newlyweds, Aracely encouraged John to pursue a career in law and it was not long until he gained his Juris Doctorate at the University of California, Berkeley in 1987. John joined Orrick-Herrington as a first-year associate in 1987, fully committed to a career as a public finance lawyer. John was a star in his field, he loved solving complex problems and built a large and successful local government practice centered around the Bay Area. When redevelopment agencies were eliminated and “land secured” financings dried up after the 2008 financial crisis, John promptly built an equally successful municipal restructuring practice, guiding the cities of Vallejo and Stockton through bankruptcy together with his friend and partner Marc Levinson. John’s incredible success awarded him the California Lawyer of the Year Award not once but three times. His San Francisco office was adorned with many awards but on his desk, he only kept pictures of his family.
John and Aracely Knox have four children: John Carlos, Joseph Alexander, Gina Gabriela, and Antonia Isabela. Growing up, the four children had a vague understanding of their father’s career. To them, he was a dedicated father who taught them how to sail and always played their favorite songs on the piano. When John was diagnosed with Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma in 2003 he did not stop working and fought his cancer for nearly eighteen years. Amidst multiple surgeries, radiation, and clinical trials, John remained fiercely committed to his family and career. He was never one to complain, instead he dedicated himself to his passions of fishing, traveling, making music, and eating Aracely’s fantastic food. Until the end, John remained devoted to his friends and family, always reminding them of his love. In death, John Knox leaves all who knew him with a legacy of love. Love for knowledge, love for music, and love for one another. Survived by his wife Aracely and their four children, the Knox family has held a small ash ceremony to honor John’s legacy.
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