Gordon Knight, the father of Little People, Big World star Amy Roloff, has died at the age of 97. He died on Monday, October 5, 2026, at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Michigan, according to his obituary. The news became public on October 27, when Amy’s youngest son, Jacob Roloff, shared a tribute on Instagram.
“My grandpa passed away 3 weeks ago,” Jacob wrote. “Haven’t necessarily slowed down enough to process that properly. I always hoped and looked forward to visiting him and my grandma in Michigan as a kid.”
“He was cleaning his muzzleloaders”
Jacob, 29, described his grandfather as a “very admirable person who kept active, kept social, kept kind, kept reading, kept living,” adding that only four months earlier he “was cleaning his muzzleloaders and driving his corvette.” He said he was glad he had visited every summer for the past four years with his son, Mateo, and wished he had asked more about his grandfather’s time in Korea, “which he rarely mentioned.”
“He built the cabin with just him and my grandma in mind and found it surprising how large the family grew, but he loved it,” Jacob wrote. “He made us grandkids walking sticks, took us canoeing, and my only 2 times fishing were with him.”
Amy, 64, replied in the comments that she was “going to miss him lots too.” “I’m happy you had a chance to go and visit grandpa with me as an adult,” she wrote. “I hope each one of you will have a special fond memory of him.”
Engineer and veteran
Knight served in the Korean War and retired after 30 years as a civil and structural engineer with Ford Motor Company. He lived in Dexter Township, Michigan, and also spent time in Moran Township in the Upper Peninsula, at the cabin he and his wife, Pat, built on Lake Michigan. He was a lay leader at North Lake United Methodist Church, a member of Pinckney American Legion Post 419, and, with Pat, took part in historical re-enactments with the Ottawa Long Rifle group.
His obituary described him as “known for his witty sense of humor as well as his ability to create, build, and survive.” He appeared occasionally on Little People, Big World, which followed Amy, her ex-husband Matt Roloff and their four children.
He is survived by his children Kathryn, Amy and Roger. His daughter Cynthia died before him. A memorial service will be held at North Lake United Methodist Church in Chelsea, Michigan, on January 5, 2027.