Philip James Knight

Judge Philip J. Knight BLOUNTSTOWN - Judge Philip James Knight, 68, a county judge, died Thursday, March 16, 2006, at Bay Medical Center in Panama City. The service will be at 2 p.m. CST Saturday at the chapel of Peavy Funeral Home in Blountstown (850-674-2266), with burial at Boggs Cemetery. Family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. CST today at the funeral home. Philip was born July 9, 1937, in Blountstown and had lived there most of his life. He served as local county judge from 1987 until his retirement in 2000. He graduated from military prep high school at Baylor in 1955. Mr. Knight enrolled at Florida State University in 1955 and graduated in 1959. He served as class president for three of the four years. He was also a member of the Gold Key Sigma Chi fraternity. Philip enrolled at Stetson University School of Law in 1959 and graduated in 1962. He practiced law in Tallahassee from 1962 to 1963, then moved back to Blountstown and practiced law with his father. He worked with the Florida State Attorney's Office under Leo Jones and Jim Appleman. Philip also served as circuit judge when he was called upon. Mr. Knight was lay pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Blountstown for 13 years. Survivors include a son, Philip Barclay Knight (and wife Danika) of Blountstown; three daughters, Ginny Scott (and husband Tom) and Sarah Westmoreland (and husband Adam), both of Marianna, and Cathy Varnum (and husband Harry) of Blountstown; two brothers, Bart Knight Jr. of Farragut, Tenn., and Billy Caison of Bristol; and seven grandchildren.