SEN. 'PETE' KNIGHT DIES EX-TEST PILOT LOSES BATTLE WITH LEUKEMIA.Byline: Staff and Wire Services PALMDALE - California Sen. William J. ``Pete'' Knight, a former military test pilot and author of the state's gay marriage ban, died of leukemia Friday night. He was 74. Knight died at City of Hope National Medical Center City of Hope is one of 39 NCI-designated Cancer Centers and is located in the city of Duarte, California. City of Hope comprises an ambulatory and in-patient cancer treatment center as well as a biomedical research facility known as the Beckman Research Institute and the City of Hope in Duarte, his communications director, David Orosco, said Saturday. ``It's just an unbelievable loss to the citizens of the Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley and the citizens of California,'' said California State Assemblywoman Sharon Runner Sharon Runner (born May 17 1954, Los Angeles) is a Californian politician. She has been a member of the California State Assembly since 2002. Runner, a Republican from Antelope Valley represents the 36th district. , R-Lancaster. ``He was just a real genuine American hero American Hero may refer to:
Knight, R-Palmdale, had been absent from his seat since April 12 because of his illness and ongoing medical testing. He had served in the Legislature since 1992, when he was elected to the Assembly. He was elected to his first Senate term in 1996. ``The worst thing about this is he wanted to keep working, going, contributing,'' said Knight's wife, Gail. ``He wanted to live. He wanted to try. God had a different plan.'' Knight, a retired Air Force colonel and record-setting test pilot who trained for the space program, is best known as author of the state's Defense of Marriage Act, which says that only marriages between a man and a woman are recognized as valid in California. After twice failing to get similar legislation through the Legislature, Knight took it to voters, who passed it by more than 61 percent in 2000. The conservative lawmaker represented the 17th Senate district, which includes northeastern Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County, all of Inyo County and portions of San Bernardino and Kern counties. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Saturday that he was saddened to learn of Knight's death. ``Senator Knight's memory will live on through his lifelong contributions to our nation's aerospace communities and our state's public affairs,'' Schwarzenegger said. ``We have lost a true Renaissance man: a senator, veteran and legislative leader who made many contributions to California.'' Other senators have consented to shepherd Knight's package of 24 bills, which includes a measure that would require courts to put in writing their reasons for ordering child support and another that would stiffen stiff·en tr. & intr.v. stiff·ened, stiff·en·ing, stiff·ens To make or become stiff or stiffer. stiff prison sentences for people who evade police. Knight was diagnosed April 7 with acute myelogenous leukemia acute myelogenous leukemia n. Abbr. AML Myelogenous leukemia characterized by rapid abnormal increase in the number of myeloblasts and progression of symptoms. , which develops when there is a defect in bone marrow. The disease is most frequently treated with chemotherapy, radiation and stem cell stem cell In living organisms, an undifferentiated cell that can produce other cells that eventually make up specialized tissues and organs. There are two major types of stem cells, embryonic and adult. transplants. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color -- in AV edition only; ran in AV and Valley edition only) KNIGHT |
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