William Franklin “Bubba” Knight passed away on December 1, 2025, in Birmingham, AL, after a long and courageously fought battle with heart disease. He faced every challenge with quiet strength, stubborn determination, and, always, his unmistakable sense of humor. Bubba was born on December 12, 1954, in Dothan, AL, to Franklin Harold and Flora Williams Knight. When the family moved to Chipley and settled on the Williams family land, Bubba found the place that shaped him. Bubba spent his youth roaming those hundred acres—bird hunting, deer hunting, and fishing—developing a lifelong love for the outdoors.
After graduating from Chipley High School, Bubba attended Chipola Junior College and later earned his Civil Engineering degree from Auburn University in 1978. His career took him to several cities, but it was in Birmingham that his life truly shifted. Through church he grew close to the Fuller family, and in 1982 he married their daughter, Kimberly—the love of his life and his companion for the next 43 years. Together they began an adventure that carried them to Iowa, Texas, and ultimately home again to Chipley.
Bubba spent 16 years with the Florida Department of Transportation before moving into the private sector engineering. He was talented in his work, but it was his ability to talk to anyone, anywhere, that opened countless doors. He built friendships across states and countries, leaving behind a trail of people who still smile when they think of a conversation with him. Bubba had a way of making others feel seen and valued—whether for five minutes or fifty years.
Bubba was a man with an enormous heart. He gave freely: his wisdom, his compassion, his time, and his listening ear. He had a special ability to show up for people exactly when they needed someone. And though he could fix anything and figure out almost everything, he did it at his own pace—slow enough to drive you crazy, but steady enough to get it right.
In 2006, Bubba experienced a major heart event that changed his life. He often said God had spared him for a reason, and he lived the rest of his years with that conviction. He shared openly about his faith, about what God had done for him, and how God could move in the lives of others. He loved wrestling with the muddy, confusing passages of Scripture, but he always came back to the core truth he believed mattered most: that Jesus came, died, and rose again for us. That certainty sustained him through every setback, every struggle, and every moment of grace.
Bubba leaves behind his beloved wife of 43 years, Kimberly Knight; daughter and son-in-law, Niki and Travis Peavy; daughter, Bethany Knight; grandchildren, Lesleigh and Logan Peavy; sister and brother-in-law, Gail and Danny Exum; and a great host of friends who became family along the way. All of them carry a piece of Bubba’s kindness, his humor, and his faith with them.
To know Bubba was to love him. To be loved by him was a blessing. And his legacy—of generosity, courage, and steadfast faith—will live on in all who had the gift of calling him theirs.
Memorial services will be held Saturday December 6, 2025, at Holmes Creek Baptist Church with visitation beginning at 2:00 PM and service at 3:00 PM. Arrangements are under the direction of Peavy Funeral Home in Blountstown, FL.
