Stu Knowles

Paul S. Knowles, Jr., “Stu” passed away peacefully at the Philip Hulitar Hospice Center in Providence Tuesday, November 26, 2024 due to injuries he suffered in a fall in his home. Born at South County Hospital April 10, 1938, he was the son of Paul S. Knowles, Sr. and Frances (Elkey) Knowles of Narragansett.

Stu was a lifelong resident of South County and he began his lifetime career of fixing engines, starting with automobiles, when he was a teenager. As a young man, he ran a Texaco station at the corner of Woodruff Avenue and Main Street, Wakefield for several years. Later, he went to work at Ram Point Marina, Wakefield and found his new love: repairing and maintaining marine diesel engines. He quickly became well known for his knowledge and expertise and developed a following of faithful customers many of whom remained with him for many years after he left the marina and became independent; a few as recently as just the past few years.

Stu was a collector of many things; tools, clocks, watches, cameras, jackknives, music and much more. He couldn’t pass up a yard sale and was always looking for something that someone might need or want. Living, working and doing business in South County all of his 86 years, he “knew everybody” and “everybody” knew him. When he wasn’t cruising around town in “SK 26” you could probably find him sitting in “his seat” at the counter at Meldgie’s Rivers Edge where he was one of the daily regulars and they took good care of him.

He is survived by his two sisters, Ruth Fain, of Englewood, FL and Linda Gloor, (Jim) of Narragansett, several nieces and nephews and his best friend, Paul Carr, Jr. of Wakefield. He is predeceased by his brother-in-law, Jim Fain.

Funeral services will be private. Memorial donations may be made to The Galilee Mission, 268 Kingstown Road, Narragansett, RI 02882 or HopeHealth Hospice Care, 143 Main Street, Wakefield, RI 02879.