Elizabeth Ann Snyder Knight

Olean- Elizabeth A. “Liz” Snyder Knight

Elizabeth A. (Liz) Snyder Knight, 91, of Kingsbury Hill Road, Franklinville and recently of the Pines Healthcare and Rehabilitation of Olean, passed away peacefully after a brief illness on February 14, 2025 with family by her side. No matter how ill she was, she always managed a smile and offered a kind word.

Liz was born in Olean, New York to Joseph and Florence Meade Hall Snyder on June 15, 1933. She graduated from Olean High School and obtained her RN nursing degree from Arnot-Ogden Memorial Hospital School of Nursing.

In her early nursing career, she was a traveling nurse. The majority of her nursing career was spent at Olean General Hospital as the Emergency Room Head Nurse and Operating Room Supervisor. She also worked at St. Francis Hospital as a House Supervisor and Recovery Room Head nurse. Most ER visitors knew her as “Liz with the long black hair.”

Liz loved animals and had two horses named Spike and Durango, numerous cats and raised and saved hundreds of dogs. She also loved walking her serene property overlooking her pond and enjoyed sitting on her bench enjoying nature that surrounded her. There is no doubt she was greeted at the gates of heaven by the hundreds of pets she saved and loved over the years. 

In 1978, Liz married her former spouse, Dr. Ovid Dean Knight, at which time she retired from nursing and she and Dean raised and showed Champion Labrador Retrievers traveling all over to dog shows for many years. Liz was also very involved in the animal rescue arena for many years.

Liz is survived by her best friend, Mary Ann (Don) Wehlege, sisters-in-law, Marie (Walt) Petrick, Paula Snyder, nieces and nephew, Sydney (Tony) Evans, Joseph (Barb) Snyder, Amy (Artur) Ehmann & Shayne (Hank) Certo, step-son Kurt Knight, several dear cousins who live locally, and many as well as many second nieces/nephews, neighbors and friends.

Liz is predeceased by her parents, her brother James J. Snyder and step-son, Eric Knight.

Friends will be received at the Letro-McIntosh-Spink Funeral Home 646 E. State Street, Olean, on Thursday, February 20, 2025 from 2:00pm to 3:00pm at which time funeral services will be held. The Rev. Dr. Anthony L. Evans will officiate. Burial will be at Pleasant Valley Cemetery. Online condolences may be made at www.letromcintoshspinkfuneralhome.com