![]()
ERIC FRANZ KNISLEY Eric Franz Knisley, born May 30th, 1952, passed away peacefully on August 7th, 2020, at VITAS Hospice in Sunrise, FL. He was 68 years old. Eric was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Francis William Knisley and Bernice Teresa Lynch. At Avonworth High School, Big E was a sports legend, excelling in football, baseball and basketball, and was chosen to play in Pennsylvania's Big 33 football game - an honor only the best players in the state received. His 809 career basketball points marked him as the 5th-highest-scorer in Antelope history, and he was named MVP in both football and basketball by the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League. Eric attended the University of Pittsburgh on a football scholarship during the Carl DePasqua and Johnny Majors years, where he earned his Bachelors of Art degree in History and Economics. Strong, vital and sometimes larger than life, Eric maintained close relationships with his many Panther friends through present day. Oh, the stories they could tell! It was also at Pitt that Eric met and married his wife Donna; they had three children, of whom Eric was exceedingly proud. Professionally, Eric was a hard-working and determined businessman who produced results and propelled his companies and colleagues forward. He began as a Proctor and Gamble salesman in the 70s, then transitioned into medical devices with an emphasis on surgical endoscopy. He eventually rose to the position of General Manager of Latin American Operations at Olympus, and later became Vice-President/General Manager of North American Operations for Fujinon. He was a respected and treasured friend to many in Japan and Latin America, and inspired a love of these cultures in his family. His many accolades included awards for management, leadership and growth of the divisions he ran, and his colleagues knew Eric as a deft leader with strong opinions and a fierce desire to outperform the competition. Eric was recently blessed with grandchildren, who became the center of his universe. Other loves included the Ft. Lauderdale lifestyle of golfing, boating, fishing, and diving. He treasured the friends in his weekly golf league, and played nearly every Sunday on courses across the state. Though he was a Florida resident through his adult years, Eric was a Pittsburgher born and raised, cheering on his hometown sports teams (go Stillers!) with his daughter, Ilissa. Our Eric valued family above all, and those he leaves behind love him very much. He joins his beloved father, (Frank/Pop) and mother (Bernice/ Barne) in rest. He is survived by his immediate family, Ilissa Duluc (Johan/Ava/Oliver), Evan Knisley (Kathleen/Ellie), Kara Boariu (Nick/Westley/Nikki), Donna Knisley; his sister, Lisa Lockerman (Lloyd/Cassandra/Emily), his brother, Rex Knisley (Dawn/Kyle/Kelly/Alex) and so many others whose hearts he touched over the years. Everyone will miss his big personality, distinctive laugh and engaging smile, but we are so thankful to have had him in our life. In lieu of flowers, a tribute/memorial gift may be made to Pittsburgh's Animal Friends shelter at 526 Camp Horne Road to honor Eric's great love for the family dogs. A celebration of life will be held in 2021: if you would like to be notified of details once they are determined, please email your contact information to: celebrateEFK@gmail.com. Send condolences post-gazette.com/gb
