Del. Barry Knight rose from youthful work trapping critters on someone else’s farm to become a success in Virginia Beach agribusiness.
He joined the House of Delegates in 2009 as something of a rarity – a bona fide, full-time farmer. He became known for his skill in navigating the budget process, which he took pride in, including time as chair of the powerful appropriations committee.
“To me, the most important thing for why I was sent up there is the dollars and cents,” he said at his rural Back Bay office in 2021.
Knight, 71, died Thursday after health issues that kept him away from Richmond during this year’s session. He is survived by his wife, Paula, and three sons and four grandchildren.
In December, The Virginian-Pilot reported Knight had been diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2024 and underwent treatment before breaking his arm in a September fall and later being admitted to the hospital.
He planned to be in Richmond after winning reelection in the 98th House District. In January, the newspaper reported he had been sworn into the session by notary.
Del. Jay Leftwich, a Chesapeake Republican who befriended Knight in the legislature, said his absence left a void during the session. He said Knight would value being remembered best for love of family and friends more than accomplishments in office.
“You probably can’t name a road, a bridge, a highway or any governmental building that didn’t have his fingerprints on it while he was on appropriations,” Leftwich said.
House Speaker Don Scott and House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore released a statement Thursday about Knight, mourning him as a colleague, friend and statesman. In a statement, Gov. Abigail Spanberger said Knight “personified what it means to be a citizen legislator.”
Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer said Knight lived life like a “champion” and will be remembered for service in and outside the city.
“Barry understood life,” Dyer told WHRO on Thursday. “He understood people. He had a tremendous political acumen, but he had a dynamic and engaging personality. … It’s a loss to the commonwealth, without question.”
Knight characterized his work as representing friends and neighbors. Over the years, he represented the residential resort Sandbridge and the city’s vast rural area. Before redistricting, he represented parts of Chesapeake.
He valued the outdoors and cared about environmental issues. In a statement Thursday, Chris Moore, who leads the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Virginia office, called Knight a “passionate legislator” who raised awareness about the importance of menhaden in the bay and land conservation.
In 2016, Knight said his childhood knack for catching muskrats brought him to the attention of a farmer and led to his career. Knight initially worked for him as a trapper and later raised pigs for market, among other duties.
“I wanted to be a farmer,” Knight recalled. “I didn’t think it would be attainable.”
Knight started his first farm at 26 and grew it. He served as president of the Tidewater Pork Producers for several years, won accolades from agriculture groups and served on state boards under two governors. His farm produced nearly 25,000 hogs each year and operated on 640 acres, according to a biography. A decade ago, Knight said he’d left the hog business behind.
Knight served on the Virginia Beach Planning Commission, including as its chairperson, before running for the General Assembly in a special election in the former 81st House District and took office in 2009.
Councilmember Barbara Henley, a farmer in southern Virginia Beach, said Knight was respected for his experience, which “made all the difference in the world.”
She added, “It was important to have someone who knew what it meant to be a farmer, and he filled that role. … He represented us well.”
Blackwater farmer Don Horsley, a friend who knew Knight for more than 50 years, said Knight stood up for the people he served.
Dels. Alex Askew, Michael Feggans and Kelly Fowler, all Democrats from Virginia Beach, released a statement noting his “deep commitment to Virginia Beach and the commonwealth” and his advocacy for the Pungo area.
Sen. Bill DeSteph, a Republican from Virginia Beach, said Knight’s death was a sad day for Virginia.
“To his family, he was Superman,” DeSteph said. “To his friends, he was a phenomenal friend. To the commonwealth, he was an exceptional legislator and a true Virginia gentleman. We’ll miss him dearly.”