William L. ‘Billy’ Knight

Posted on February 3, 2023

William L. (Billy) Knight was born in Millville, Abacos, Sept. 24, 1932, to William H. (Bill) Knight and Violet P. (Boots) Knight.

He died Feb. 1, 2023.

A graveside service will be held on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023, at 11 a.m. in Woodlawn Cemetery in Perry with Brother David McMullen officiating.

His father Bill traveled for work as a millwright and as a young boy Billy lived in the Panama Canal Zone for several years.

He told his family stories about his pet monkey “Poncho” and seeing gigantic pythons in the jungles down there.

At some point his family moved to and settled here in Perry. As a young man here, he enjoyed hanging out with his friends Joey Moody, Jimmy Robertson, Billy Martin, John Williams and Billy Davis at Seb Robertson’s gas station.

Billy Lilliott, J. C. Dixon, Wayne Ratliff, Larry Tomlinson and Emory Hightower were more of his best friends later in life.

In 1952, he joined the US Air Force and was stationed at Lowry Air Force Base in Colorado where he met his wife, Bonnie.

They were married in 1953 and moved to Perry, where he resided until his death.

He was employed as a millwright/welder at the Procter & Gamble for 18 years and his good friend and workmate, Buddy Odom, said he was the best he had ever seen at both trades. They both enjoyed playing practical jokes on each other and their workmates, but especially their manager, Dave Gray.

Buddy told a story about a time he got called into Dave’s office and was getting chewed out for something. Dave’s office had a big window in it where Dave could turn around and look out if he wanted to. As he was chewing Buddy out with his back to the window, Billy slipped up to the window and mooned Buddy. Imagine trying to keep a straight face looking at that!

Billy’s favorite past times were drinking and shooting and you did not want to dare challenge him at either, for you would most certainly lose.

One of his greatest passions was fishing for bass with his .25-35 Winchester rifle. He called it his Zebco .25-35. He was a marksman with any gun.

At one of the first Florida Forest Festivals, a federal Border Patrol agent attended and was putting on a shooting exhibition. At some point, he opened it up and challenged the folks in the crowd to compete against him.

One of Billy’s buddies was there and hurried to the Brown Jug bar and retrieved him. Billy brought his single action Colt .45 pistol and humiliated the federal agent to the point the agent placed his rifle in its case and left without saying a word.

Another instance of his marksmanship was reported by Wayne Ratliff.

Wayne told of a day when he and Billy were riding down the Cabbage Grove grade when a bunch of turkeys ran out in the road in front of them. As the turkeys were running into the woods, they stopped the truck and Wayne jumped out with his shotgun and killed one and Billy jumped out with his Smith and Wesson .44 magnum pistol and killed two.

Billy lived life to the fullest and, for the most part, did exactly what he wanted to do when he wanted to do it.

After Bonnie was tragically killed in a car wreck in 2021, he realized his mortality and accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

His life was one of fierce independence, enjoying it to the fullest and ultimately realizing his desperate need of a Savior.

The moral of this true story is no matter what you have done during your life, and at any point in your life, Jesus is there waiting on you to turn to Him and be saved. It is never too late.

Ephesians 2:8-9

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

Luke 15:20-24

20 So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

To God be the glory.