Catherine Sullivan Knebel's Obituary
Catherine Sullivan Knebel died peacefully on Tuesday, June 7, 2016, surrounded by her family. Cathy was born in New York City on March 13, 1934, the daughter of Elizabeth and Edward Sullivan, who emigrated from Ireland. She is a graduate of Villa Maria Academy and St. Vincent’s Hospital School of Nursing in New York City. She received her undergraduate degree at Georgetown University, where she met her husband, Tom. While raising four children and working full time she earned a Masters in Rehabilitation Counseling at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Cathy began her nursing career at Georgetown University Hospital. She later worked at the City of Alexandria Department of Public Health, and as a rehabilitation nurse case manager at CNA Insurance and Occusystems. In 1994 she founded Case Management Concepts with her long-time colleague Jan Norwood, and served as president until her retirement in 2005. She was on the board of directors of the Virginia Association of Rehabilitation Professionals for many years, serving as president from 2003-2004, and was a qualified expert in life care planning.
Cathy was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Murray Knebel, her son, William Edward Knebel, and her sister, Mary Sullivan. She is survived by her brother, Edward Sullivan Jr. and his wife, Barbara; daughters, Margaret Knebel Turner and her husband Banks Whitaker Turner of Richmond, Suzanne Knebel Fleming and her husband Rives Fleming III of Richmond and Mary Knebel Gillespie and her husband Thomas Howard Gillespie III of Great Falls, Virginia; and her grandchildren William Knebel Turner, Bransford McNeill Turner, Samuel Rangeley Turner, William Rives Fleming, Elizabeth Murray Fleming, Mary Catherine Fleming, Mary Grace Fleming, Catherine Shea Gillespie, Erin Josephine Gillespie, and Thomas William Gillespie, and many nieces and nephews.
The family wishes to thank the caregivers at Loudoun County Hospital for their extraordinarily compassionate care during the last month of Cathy’s life.
A memorial service and reception will be held on Tuesday, June 21, 2016 at 1:30 pm at St. Francis Episcopal Church, 9220 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls, Virginia 22066. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Georgetown University Hospital, designated to nursing education.
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