Eunice Mae “Chickie” Kneip, age 90, of Sioux Falls and formerly of Brookings, passed away Thursday, March 4, 2021, at the Good Samaritan Village. A private family Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 9, at St. Thomas More Catholic Parish in Brookings. The Mass will be available on www.eidsnessfuneralhome.com under Eunice’s obituary for those who are unable to attend.
Eidsness Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
Chickie was born on Jan. 30, 1931, in Bowbells, N.D. She had two brothers and three sisters. She was a cheerleader for Bowbells High School and graduated from Bowbells High School in 1949.
After high school, she moved to Albuquerque, N.M., with her sister Dorthy, where she was employed as a bookkeeper. She met her husband-to-be, Tom Kneip, who was in the Air Force at the time. They became engaged and got married in Bowbells, N.D., in 1955. Chickie was employed at Kneip Implement in Arlington and at SDSU. She retired from SDSU in 1993.
She loved to cook and bake. Chickie was known for her homemade bread and special birthday chocolate cake. She loved to crochet, knit, play piano and sing.
Survivors includer her sons, Gary (Renee) of Sioux Falls and Jim of Brookings; grandchildren, Shannon (Nate) Unruh of Tea, Ryan Kneip of Sioux Falls, Travis (Amanda) Kneip of Sioux Falls, JT Kneip of Sioux City, Taylor (Morgan) Kneip of Brookings, Allie (Nick) Mimmack of Sioux Falls and Luke Kneip of Sioux Falls; as well as 11 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Tom Kneip, parents, two brothers, three sisters, four brothers-in-law and one sister-in-law.
