Helen H. Knierim's Obituary
Decatur – Helen A. “Susie” Knierim, 75, of Decatur, passed away at 6:45 am Wednesday, December 30, 2009 at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital.
Services to celebrate Helen’s life will be held at 3:00 pm Sunday, January 3, 2010 at Graceland/Fairlawn Funeral Home. Visitation will be held one hour prior to services at the funeral home. Interment with the “Flight Home” Ceremony will be at Graceland Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be sent to the Alzheimer’s Association or Charity of Choice. Online condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.gracelandfairlawn.com.
Susie was born August 29, 1934 in Decatur, the daughter of Chester Arthur and Colborn (Sims) Knierim.
Susie graduated from Decatur High School in 1952 and went on to earn a B.S. in Education at Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois in 1956, a M.A. in Education at the University of Iowa in 1960, and a Ph.D. in Education at the University of Iowa in 1970. She taught physical education at the high school level for two years. She taught physical education, anatomy, and kinesiology at Hanover College in Indiana, the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater, Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania as head of the Health and Physical Education Department, and University of Baghdad in Iraq as a Fulbright Lecturer for the U.S. State Department.
Susie spent much of her professional career promoting girls and women in sports. She served the National Association of Girls and Women in Sports (NAGWS) as Acting Executive Director in 1978-79 and President in 1981-82. She was inducted in to the Illinois State University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1979 and won the University of Iowa Physical Education Department Alumni Award that same year. She won the P.E. Faculty Member of the Year Award in 1985 and 1988 and the President’s Award for Outstanding Service in 1987 from Slippery Rock. In 2002, she was inducted to the Hanover College Athletic Hall of Fame. Susie also authored and co-authored several publications including a volume called Recreational Sports and Games.
Susie loved the outdoors, especially camping, fishing, and canoeing. She was a director and/or counselor at many camps in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s. She was very active with the Girl Scouts all of her life. Susie loved to travel both within the U.S. and overseas. Upon retirement Susie arranged to have a log home built in northern Wisconsin where she lived for several years.
Susie spent much of her later life taking care of her beloved mother, Colborn Knierim. Her interest and expertise in the field of gerontology led her to teach seminars on aging and to the study of Alzheimer’s Disease. In the late 90’s Susie was herself diagnosed with the early stages of Alzheimer’s. As the years passed the disease gradually took away the function of her thoughts. Susie spent the last years living at The Christian Home in Lincoln, Illinois where she was lovingly called “Doc”.
Susie leaves behind two sisters: Margery Wilcoxen (Sam deceased) and Charlene (John) Kessler, and nieces, nephews: Dave Wilcoxen, Carol Conley, Dan Wilcoxen, Laura Brix, Leslie Miner, Garry Brix, Curtis Kessler, Carl Kessler, family members and friends.
She was reunited in Heaven with parents: Chester A. Knierim and Colborn M. Sims Knierim, and her sister: S. Jeanette Knierim Brix.
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