Mr. Willie James Knight, was born in Sanford, Florida on, June 10,1938. He passed away on September 20, 2024 in Cape Charles, Virginia at the age of 86.  He graduated from high school in Valdosta, Georgia.  He moved to Danbury, Connecticut shortly after that and began working at many different companies.  A pharmaceutical company, Davis & Geck, is where he was a mechanic for 25 years.  He was a member of New Hope Baptist Church and participated in many of the workshops or retreats.  He attended Evangelicalism classes under Dr. Rev. Samuels.  He was predeceased by his parents Willie Lee and Maxine Herring Knight.  Two sons, Willie, Jr. and Todd and one daughter Natalie.

He leaves to mourn his wife Nancy of fifty years.  One sister, Annie P. Knight of Waterbury, CT.  One daughter, Jacqueline of Austell, GA and one stepson, Wayne Gant of Portsmouth, VA. two grandsons, Rodney in Florida and Cadarel in North Carolina, four granddaughters, Damiesha in Connecticut, Cherell Ceondra and Cyerria in North Carolins; eight great grandchildren, several nieces and nephews.

Willie was the President for ten years of the Danbury NAACP.  The Knight Foundation ran a free six-week summer computer ad Language arts camp for many years in Danbury and the Boys and Girls Club of Ridgefield, Connecticut.  He sponsored a Double Dutch jump rope group which entered many competitions throughout Connecticut.

Willie and his wife moved to Cape Charles, Virginia in 2011.  As a life member of NAACP he immediately joined the local branch in Northampton County.  He is on the Board od Directors of the Cape Charles Rosenwald School, (formerly known as the Cape Charles Colored School).  The Knight Foundation has continued its work with children by providing a free movie of relevant content to Elementary age students during Black History Month at the local Palace Theater