Barry Dean Knight, an American politician and farmer who served in the Virginia House of Delegates, died on February 19, 2026, at age 71.
A Republican, he represented the 98th district, covering parts of southeastern Virginia Beach, after winning a special election on January 6, 2009. Born on September 26, 1954, in Princess Anne County, Virginia, now part of Virginia Beach, he was raised on a farm and later worked as a truck driver before buying his own hog farm.
His business, Barry D. Knight Farms, operated until 2016. Knight was named the Virginia Farm Bureau’s Young Farmer of the Year in 1983 and served as president of the Tidewater Pork Producers from 1984 to 1990.
Barry Dean Knight (September 26, 1954 – February 19, 2026) was an American politician and farmer who served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 2009 until his death in 2026. A member of the Republican Party, he was elected a member of the Virginia House of Delegates in a special election on January 6, 2009. Knight represented the 98th district, made up of parts of southeastern Virginia Beach.