Clarence "Cole" Knotts III

Clarence Cole Knotts III, 71, of Laurinburg, NC, passed away on May 6, 2026. Born on December 22, 1954, he was the son of the late Buck and Bobby Knotts. Known to most as Cole and affectionately nicknamed "Buck" by those closest to him, he lived life entirely on his own terms.

A proud graduate of Scotland High School, Cole went on to begin his college journey at UNC Chapel Hill — where he bled Carolina Blue — before graduating from NC State University. He spent his entire life in Laurinburg, a place he loved deeply, surrounded by the land and the dear friends who knew him best. In his youth he was an Eagle Scout, earning his God and Country award and being inducted into the Order of the Arrow — one of Scouting's highest honors. That foundation of character, loyalty, and love of the outdoors stayed with him always.

Cole worked for many years at McDonald Brothers and was an avid outdoorsman who loved duck and swan hunting, fishing, and tending his garden. He was known for his loyalty, his stubbornness, his green thumb, and never missing a birthday or Christmas — no matter how late it got.

He is survived by his sister, Linda Knotts, 69, of Charlotte, NC; his niece, Summer Nunn, 42, and her husband JR Nunn, 47, and their children Sawyer, 13, and Charleston, 9, of Charlotte, NC; and his nephew, Terrell Horne, 38, his wife Kristen Horne, 38, and their son Wylie, 5, of Clover, SC.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence "Buck" Knotts Jr., and Bobby Knotts.

Cole will be deeply missed by all who knew him — and remembered best right where he loved to be, settled in the blind, waiting patiently for that one to fly by.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be given to the Boy Scouts of America or the North Carolina Wild Life Foundation. 

The Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on June 12, 2026 at the Richard Boles Funeral Service Chapel with a private interment following in Hillside Cemetery.     The family will receive friends prior to the service on June 12th beginning at 10:00 a.m. at the funeral home.

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