Barbara J. Kniepkamp

Barbara J. Kniepkamp, nee Flake, age 55, passed peacefully into the hands of our Lord on Tuesday, September 24, 2019 in the care of Evelyn’s House in Creve Coeur Mo.

Preceded in death by her brother, Joseph Flake, Barbara is survived by her beloved husband, David Kniepkamp; her daughter, Suzanne (Daniel) Rice; her granddaughter, Eleanor “Ellie” Grace Rice; her parents, Donald and Dorothy Flake, nee Schmiedeler; and her siblings Jean (Kevin) Aubuchon, Janet Maher, Paula (Rick) Anderson, Nancy Osborn, Sally (Dan) Pitlyk, John (Tina) Flake, and Dr. Natasha (Dr. Larry Zweifel) Flake; and her brother-in-law Keith (Sue) Kniepkamp. She is also survived by 17 nieces and nephews. 

Barbara was a 25-year instructor in the Mathematics and Statistics Department at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, teaching courses for a wide variety of students, ranging from college algebra and calculus to differential equations. She received the Teacher Recognition Award in 2004. Prior to her teaching career she served as an electrical engineer at McDonnell Douglas and part-time electronics and math instructor at Belleville Area College. Her academic career was full of accomplishments, as she graduated class valedictorian from Rosary High School, awarded the Missouri Curators Scholarship, Society of Women Engineers Scholarship, and Motorola Scholarship to the University of Missouri – Rolla where graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and was professionally affiliated with Eta Kappa Nu (International Honors Society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), Tau Beta Pi (Honorary Engineering Society), Phi Eta Sigma (Freshman Honors Society), and Phi Kappa Phi (Senior Honors Society). She earned a Master of Science in Mathematics from the Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville and was professionally affiliated with Pi Mu Epsilon (Honorary Mathematics Society).

Memorials can be made to via mail or email to Evelyn’s House – BJC Foundation for Hospice, c/o Barbara Kniepkamp Memorials, P.O. Box 790369 St. Louis, MO 63179-9917.  Memorials can be made online at www.bjchospice.org/Donate. 

Visitation will be Monday, September 30, 2019 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Kassly Mortuary, Ltd., Fairview Heights, IL.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Fairview Heights, IL, with Fr. Ray Schultz officiating. Interment will be at Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Edwardsville, IL.

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