Susanna Knodt

Susanna Ryman Knodt of Willow Street passed away on May 5, 2026, of cardiac arrest. She was 88 years old.

Born on July 3, 1937, in Pittsburgh, PA to Helen S. and Walter L. Ryman, Susanna lived a life rooted in adventure, compassion, and deep love for family and friends. She was married for 67 years to the love of her life, William C. Knodt.

Susanna graduated from Northwestern University and the Northwestern School of Nursing in 1959 and worked for many years as a labor and delivery nurse at Evanston Hospital, IL, where she compassionately cared for countless families. Later, she pursued a second career as a travel agent, a profession that reflected her adventurous spirit and love of exploring the world. Her travels took her to more than 40 countries and inspired her treasured collection of international house miniatures gathered from around the globe.

Throughout her life, Susanna made homes in Glenview, IL, Denver, CO, and Willow Street, PA, while spending winters in Oro Valley, AZ.

Susanna had a special love for whales, especially narwhals, which inspired another cherished collection that she gathered and displayed with great joy throughout her life. She also had a deep appreciation for symphony music, theatre, beautiful flowers, and she had a gift for creating a life filled with beauty, laughter, friendship, and memorable experiences. Adventurous by nature and endlessly curious, Susanna was always ready to explore somewhere new, meet new people, or embrace a new experience. More than anything, she treasured the time spent with her family and friends, whose love and companionship meant the world to her.

Her friends at Willow Valley Communities often joked that she “ran the neighborhood,” thanks to her gift for organizing social events and managing in-house mail. A true social butterfly, Susanna loved being surrounded by others and had a remarkable ability to make people feel welcome and cared for. She also enjoyed reading, playing Wordle, and never turned down a good massage.

Susanna was preceded in death by her beloved sister, Roxanna R. Coop.

Susanna is survived by her husband, William; daughters Kimberly Preskenis and Pamela Nearhoof; sons-in-law Mark Preskenis and Richard Nearhoof; grandchildren Kevin Preskenis (Jazmin), Matthew Preskenis (Lauren), Alyssa Schneider (Kyle), and Arianna Shelswell (Sean); and great-grandchildren Addison Shelswell, Dean Buettner, and Annie Preskenis.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Susanna’s memory to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at Saint Edwards Episcopal Church, 2453 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster, PA, on Saturday, May 16th at 2 pm. To view the service virtually, please visit:

https://www.youtube.com/@StEdwardsEpiscopalChurch/streams