Sandra C. Knepp

Cuba- Sandra Claire Knepp “Mamee” of Cuba, passed away Monday August 2nd 2021 peacefully after being diagnosed with advanced stage four lung cancer in February this year.

Born in Lewistown Pa she was the daughter of Blair and Betty Hearn and the oldest of three children. Sandee was the wife of Charles Knepp who passed away in November of 2009. Together they had four daughters, six grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

Sandee worked at the Norristown State Hospital in Pennsylvania and The Rehabilitation Center in Olean New York. Although Sandee enjoyed her work, co-workers and patients, the most important job she ever had was being a mom and a Mamee. Anyone that knew Sandee knew how much her family meant to her. While raising daughters it was common for chaos to unfold at any given time. There were many moments of happiness, laughter, and craziness but these are some that her family cherished the most; she held the record for eating the most ears of corn at one sitting, the Ply-mar swim club slide, family vacations at “camp”, Dr Scholl’s in the middle of winter, Stroheman’s fruit cake, boat rides on the Chesapeake (until the steering wheel fell off), eggnog from Red Baron’s, and pumpkin pies on holidays.

After enduring the mayhem from her children, her dedication finally paid off when she became a “Mamee”. Mamee will always be remembered by her grandchildren as a grandma who you could talk to about everything and anything. Nothing was off limits even if the phone calls woke her up at 3 am. She loved to cook, eat (especially sweets and burnt hot dogs), read, play board games, do crossword puzzles, bowl, fish, smoke cigarettes, drink Coke, drink coffee with Irish cream creamer AND sugar, say bad words, drive fast cars, read her Bible, camp, take a good prank, sleep on her couch, sit in her swing and watch for deer and birds, paint, tell old stories (even if she told them wrong), go to Black Lake, watch TV (Blue Bloods, NCIS, Dr. Pol, Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy were some favorites), spoil her grandkids and talk on the phone. Sandee was preceded in death by her daughter (Diana Knepp), her husband Charles Knepp and her parents (Blair and Betty Hearn).

Surviving are; her daughters Daina (Robert) Merena, Sherri (Thomas Tilly) Ayers, Dorothy (Patrick) Farrington. Her grandchildren Ashleigh (Christopher) Landis, Kyle Merena (Bud), Mariah (Jimmie Gilbert) Farrington, Kaitlyn (Derrick) Shoup, Emily (Turner Ashby) Dodge, Shawn (Karissa Deckman) Farrington. Her great grandchildren Marcus, Charlie, Jaiden, Coraline, Bexley, Elena, Camdyn (her little smart farts) and (her darling) Grayson; two brothers, Donald (Constance) Hearn, and Curtis (Judy) Hearn; and many nieces and nephews. When asked what she wanted to do towards her final days; her response was, “to go fishing.” Sandee always wanted to travel to Maine however did not have the opportunity. She will be missed by all that knew and loved her. The world is a little less bright without you, Rest In Peace Mamee - we love you.

Private burial services will be held at the convenience of the family. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Guenther Funeral Home, Inc., 1303 E. State Street, Olean. Online condolences can be expressed at www.guentherfh.com.

Memorials if desired, may be made to American Lung Association, lung.org.