Eileen Grace Knepshield

Eileen Grace Daily was born on November 3, 1940, in Windber, Pennsylvania, a coal-mining community in Somerset County. She was the first daughter of John and Barbara Daily, growing up alongside her brother John "Jack" and sister Betty in the close-knit mining town that had been founded as a planned community in the early 1900s.

Music filled Eileen's life from an early age, leading her to pursue her passion at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where she earned her Bachelor's Degree in Music Education. It was there, among the practice rooms and concert halls, that she met Roger L. Knepshield, a fellow music major who shared her dedication to the art. Their courtship blossomed alongside their musical studies, and they married on December 29, 1961, shortly after her graduation.

The young couple settled in Edinboro, Pennsylvania, where Roger joined the faculty of Edinboro University as an Associate Professor of Music. Eileen found her own niche within the university community, taking on the role of chairperson of the Music Department's Preparatory Division, a position she would hold for over twenty years. This program provided music lessons to the broader community, taught by university professors, creating a bridge between the academic institution and the town it served.

As a prolific piano teacher within the Preparatory Division, Eileen touched countless lives through her instruction. Her commitment to music education extended beyond the university walls through her active membership in the Pennsylvania Music Teacher's Association. But Eileen was not merely an educator—she was an accomplished performer in her own right, mastering both piano and cello with equal skill.

Together, Eileen and Roger formed a musical partnership that enriched the cultural life of northwestern Pennsylvania. They performed professionally with multiple orchestral ensembles, including the Edinboro University Orchestra, the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, the Westminster College Orchestra, and the Youngstown Symphony in Ohio. Their collaboration extended into the 1990s and 2000s, when Eileen administered and performed with a professional string quintet at events throughout the region.

The Knepshields built a family alongside their musical careers. They welcomed two daughters: Amy and Lisa. Tragedy touched their lives when Amy preceded both parents in death. Lisa married Mark Hauser and settled in Evanston, Illinois, blessing Eileen and Roger with a grandson, Clark Hauser.

Faith played an important role in Eileen's life through her membership at St. Augustine of Canterbury Episcopal Church in Edinboro, where she was an active congregant. The church community would later provide the setting for her final farewell, hosting both her viewing and funeral service.

After 59 years of marriage, Eileen faced the profound loss of Roger's death in 2021. The couple had shared not only a life but a career, performing together, teaching together, and building the musical culture of their community side by side. Roger's passing marked the end of one of the region's most enduring musical partnerships.

In her final years, Eileen resided at Pleasant Ridge Manor in Girard, Pennsylvania, where she received care that her family would later describe as "genuinely loving." She passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at the age of 85, surrounded by the comfort and dignity she deserved.

Eileen Grace Knepshield's legacy lives on through the students she taught, the audiences she entertained, and the musical traditions she helped establish in northwestern Pennsylvania. Her life exemplified the power of music to connect communities, enrich lives, and create lasting bonds between people who share a common passion for the arts.