Fred Knack, Car-Dealership Owner, Helped Others Get Start In Business

A self-proclaimed graduate of "the old school of hard knocks," Fred Herbert Knack grew up in Michigan during the Depression and began working at grocery stores at the age of 12 to help support his family.

As a true self-made man, he eventually owned 16 car dealerships in Spokane and the greater Seattle area.

Because he never finished high school, Mr. Knack stressed the value of a good education to his two sons and others.

"He wasn't able to get the education that he might have liked so he wanted to give other people the chance," said Ann Knack of Issaquah, his wife of 44 years.

Mr. Knack, who had been a resident of this area since 1975, died Saturday while salmon fishing in British Columbia. He was 79.

He began his career in his hometown, Detroit, as a car salesman in 1949. He bought his first dealership in Muskegon, Mich., eight years later with the help of a benefactor who saw Mr. Knack's talent and business acumen, said Robert Bridge, president of Sound Oldsmobile Pontiac GMC Toyota in Renton and Mr. Knack's business partner.

"I think Fred always looked back and thought he would never have had the opportunity for a career himself if it hadn't been for that gentleman," Bridge said. "So Fred tried to do the same thing."

Bridge said as Mr. Knack acquired more dealership franchises, beginning with Sound Ford in Rainier Valley in 1975, he brought in younger partners who could eventually buy out his share and take

over the dealership.

Mr. Knack helped many young people get started with their first franchises that way, Bridge said.

"Most people don't go about business the way he did," Bridge said. "The word that comes to mind when you think of Mr. Knack is sharing. He was very sharing."

Mr. Knack gave of himself in other ways, Ann Knack said.

He donated money to the Renton School District for many years so that the schools could award scholarships to college-bound students, she said.

In 1988 alone, Mr. Knack reportedly gave $25,000.

"He just felt that he came up the hard way and didn't have an advantage of an education and this was his way to help the children," Ann Knack said.

Mr. Knack's word meant everything to him, said Fred D. Knack, his son.

"He always wanted people to judge him by his word," Knack said. "My dad believed that if you shake hands with a person, you give your promise. You didn't need a law firm to make up a contract."

Mr. Knack was a member of the Greater Renton Chamber of Commerce and served on its board of directors for three years. He was an honorary automobile retail member of the Renton Rotary.

Besides his wife and son Fred, Mr. Knack also is survived by another son, Gary Knack of Auburn; a sister, Grace Smith of Los Lunas, N.M., and two grandchildren, Gregory Knack and Melissa Knack.

Visitations were scheduled from noon to 8 p.m. today and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. tomorrow at the Highlands Community Church, 3031 N.E. 10th St., in Renton. A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. tomorrow, with burial in Renton's Mount Olivet Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association.