Amy Roloff’s Dad Gordon Knight Dies at 97: ‘I’m Going to Miss Him Lots’

On Tuesday, Oct. 27, the Little People, Big World star’s youngest son, Jacob Roloff, shared the news on Instagram. He wrote that his grandpa passed away three weeks ago and that he hadn’t really slowed down enough to process it properly. Jacob said he always looked forward to visiting him and his grandma in Michigan as a kid.

He admitted his grandfather could be a bit intimidating the way grandpas sometimes are, but he would smile and wink and you could feel the softness underneath. Jacob added that he was going to miss him very very very much, and he was glad he made time to go up and see him every summer over the last four years with his own son, Mateo, after too long of a gap.

Jacob, 29, emphasized how glad he was that his and Isabel Roloff’s 4-year-old son got to spend time with his great-grandfather. He described Gordon as a very admirable person who kept active, kept social, kept kind, kept reading, and kept living. Four months before Gordon’s death, Jacob said he was still cleaning his muzzleloaders and driving his Corvette well into his 90s. Jacob wished he had asked him more questions, particularly about his time in Korea, which his grandfather rarely mentioned. He said he enjoyed just sitting on the deck with him, calling him a lot, an insane amount.

In the comments on Jacob’s post, Amy, 64, wrote that she was going to miss him lots and reflected on the many memories their family made together. She and her ex-husband Matt Roloff also share Jeremy, Zachary, and Molly. Amy said it was never often enough that she took all four kids to see their grandma and grandpa over the years, but she was happy Jacob had the chance to visit grandpa with her as an adult. She hoped each of them would have a special fond memory of him.

According to Gordon’s obituary, he touched countless lives and left so many better for having known him. He was known for his witty sense of humor as well as his ability to create, build, and survive. He approached life with curiosity, ingenuity, and spirit. On Father’s Day in 2024, Amy shared a photo of herself sitting next to her father while holding their glasses up, writing that she cherished each moment she got to have with him and reminding people not to let the moments pass them by, to grab them when they can.