Obituary for G. Leonard Knapp
G. Leonard Knapp, a long-time resident of Sellersville, passed away on Monday, March 17, in Abington Memorial Hospital, Abington. He was the beloved husband of Nancy (Moyer) Knapp for 47 years. He was 78.
Born in Sellersville, he was the son of the late George L. and Grace E. (Kramer) Knapp.
Len was a 1954 graduate of Pennridge High School and a 1961 graduate of Gettysburg College. From 1961-1962, Leonard attended the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia.
Mr. Knapp spent his professional career as a much-loved teacher in the Pennridge School District, first at Hilltown Elementary School in 1962 and, from 1966 until his retirement in 1996, at Sellersville Elementary School.
Len was a long-time member of St. Andrew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Perkasie, where he had served on Church Council, the Call Committee, and as an usher and counter.
Passionate about all animals, Len was best known locally for his encyclopedic knowledge of and extensive collection of reptiles and amphibians. He also participated in local reptile rescue efforts.
From 1969-1970, he traveled with his reptile sideshow for the Lutheran Church of America’s “Circus Kirk,” a church-sponsored circus comprised primarily of college student performers.
Len owned and operated Reptilrama, where he presented educational programs exhibiting his vast collection of live snakes and other reptiles to community groups.
He was a founding member of the Philadelphia Herpetological Society and the Lehigh Valley Herpetological Society, organizations created to educate, conserve and protect threatened and endangered reptiles and amphibians and their habitats. From 1991- 2013, he also established and ran the Eastern Herpetological Expo.
A dog lover as well, he was a member of the Hatboro Dog Club and the Keeshond Club of the Delaware Valley, where he was a past president.
Len was a long-time member and past chairman of the Sellersville Historical and Achievement Authority, the governing body of the Sellersville Museum.
He was an avid collector of turtles, Santa Claus mugs, Depression glass, and much more.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Knapp is survived by his two daughters, Bethanne G. Cassidy and her husband, Daniel, of Blooming Glen; Rhonda E. Geyer and her husband, Brian, of Hilltown; a granddaughter, Sydney Geyer; a brother, Kenneth G. Knapp and his wife, Elizabeth, of Spinnerstown; and a sister, D. Eileen Bengtson and her husband, Paul, of Weston, CT.
His funeral service will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, March 22, in St. Andrew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Dill Avenue and Chestnut Street, Perkasie, where a visitation will be held from 6:30-8 p.m., Friday, March 21 and from 12 until 1:45 p.m., Saturday afternoon.
Interment will be in St. Andrew’s Union Cemetery, Perkasie.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Len’s memory may be made to St. Andrew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 20 Dill Avenue, Perkasie, PA 18944.
Born in Sellersville, he was the son of the late George L. and Grace E. (Kramer) Knapp.
Len was a 1954 graduate of Pennridge High School and a 1961 graduate of Gettysburg College. From 1961-1962, Leonard attended the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia.
Mr. Knapp spent his professional career as a much-loved teacher in the Pennridge School District, first at Hilltown Elementary School in 1962 and, from 1966 until his retirement in 1996, at Sellersville Elementary School.
Len was a long-time member of St. Andrew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Perkasie, where he had served on Church Council, the Call Committee, and as an usher and counter.
Passionate about all animals, Len was best known locally for his encyclopedic knowledge of and extensive collection of reptiles and amphibians. He also participated in local reptile rescue efforts.
From 1969-1970, he traveled with his reptile sideshow for the Lutheran Church of America’s “Circus Kirk,” a church-sponsored circus comprised primarily of college student performers.
Len owned and operated Reptilrama, where he presented educational programs exhibiting his vast collection of live snakes and other reptiles to community groups.
He was a founding member of the Philadelphia Herpetological Society and the Lehigh Valley Herpetological Society, organizations created to educate, conserve and protect threatened and endangered reptiles and amphibians and their habitats. From 1991- 2013, he also established and ran the Eastern Herpetological Expo.
A dog lover as well, he was a member of the Hatboro Dog Club and the Keeshond Club of the Delaware Valley, where he was a past president.
Len was a long-time member and past chairman of the Sellersville Historical and Achievement Authority, the governing body of the Sellersville Museum.
He was an avid collector of turtles, Santa Claus mugs, Depression glass, and much more.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Knapp is survived by his two daughters, Bethanne G. Cassidy and her husband, Daniel, of Blooming Glen; Rhonda E. Geyer and her husband, Brian, of Hilltown; a granddaughter, Sydney Geyer; a brother, Kenneth G. Knapp and his wife, Elizabeth, of Spinnerstown; and a sister, D. Eileen Bengtson and her husband, Paul, of Weston, CT.
His funeral service will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, March 22, in St. Andrew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Dill Avenue and Chestnut Street, Perkasie, where a visitation will be held from 6:30-8 p.m., Friday, March 21 and from 12 until 1:45 p.m., Saturday afternoon.
Interment will be in St. Andrew’s Union Cemetery, Perkasie.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Len’s memory may be made to St. Andrew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 20 Dill Avenue, Perkasie, PA 18944.