Susan Knipfer
January 18, 1957 - January 03, 2024
Obituary
MADISON, WI/ MAPLE GROVE, MN/ NEOSHO, WI/ SUN PRAIRIE, WI – Susan Jean Knipfer, was stolen from us on Wednesday, January 3, 2024. Sue was born on January 18, 1957 in Madison, WI to Albert and Jean (Langer) Boehme. She graduated from James Madison Memorial High School, Madison, in 1975 and the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1981.
Sue married Michael Knipfer on June 17, 1978. They moved to the Twin Cities area where she started her career at Honeywell. Sue passionately enjoyed her 33-year engineering career, excelling at management but preferring the technical design challenges in her Senior Systems Engineering capacity at Honeywell. Fortunately, she retired early at age 55 and enjoyed over a decade of experiences with the love of her life, Michael, and their two adventuresome children, Rebecca and Bryan, before pancreatic cancer took her from us while still in her youth at age 66.
Sue enjoyed life with gusto and enthusiasm. She was an avid knitter creating masterpiece sweaters, providing hats for the homeless, and inundating her family with delightful, colorful, cozy, homemade socks. Her passion and skills in gardening transformed family properties with expertly designed floral gardens. She hiked with purpose and strength, reminding us that the best vistas were earned. Sue was an adventurer, a certified sailor on Lake Superior, and an avid hiker in southern Utah, Kaui, the Smokey Mountains, Big Bend National Park, and on and on. She rappelled next to waterfalls in Costa Rica, swam with dolphins in Mexico, fed Stingrays in the Bahamas, and fed giraffes in California. With her keen memory for fun and interesting detail and an intelligent sense of humor, she repeatedly beat us all in Trivial Pursuit.
Sue is survived by her loving husband of 45 years, Michael Knipfer; two amazing children, Rebecca and Bryan; sisters, Barbara (Zig) Boehme and Paula (Roger) Martin; and sister-cousin, Laurie (Rick) Vertz. She is further survived by other nieces, nephews, other family and friends. She is preceded in death by her parents.
A private celebration of life will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Pets Alive in San Antonio, TX or Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research. To view and sign this guestbook, please visit: www.ryanfuneralservice.com
Ryan Funeral Home & Cremation Services
Windsor/DeForest Chapel
6924 Lake Road
608-846-4250