Suzanne Knapp is an avid genealogist who has traced her family back to early settlers of Maryland. In 1989, Sue and Linda Stengele (a 2002 Studs Terkel Humanities Service Award recipient) became aware of an abandoned cemetery in Fox River Grove, next to the original school house. Through their research, they discovered that Algonquin Township was the owner of this property, which was in shambles and full of fallen trees and other debris. They persuaded the township to clean up the site and designate it the Oak Glen/Chunn Burial Ground, dedicated in 1994 in conjunction with the 75th anniversary of the founding of Fox River Grove. Using dowsing wires and probes, Sue and Linda have located about 170 graves in the graveyard and have identified 16. They continue to look for records of burials; they also are doing extensive research on the family names they have identified and have contacted family members for proof of burial. In October 2008, the McHenry County Historic Preservation Commission held a Landmark Ceremony at the cemetery, recognizing Sue and Linda's hard work and dedication to preserving this important part of Fox River Grove's history.
In addition to her work on the cemetery, Sue is an active member of the Norge Ski Club and helped put together articles and programs on the history of the Ski Club for display on the local history shelf of the Fox River Grove Memorial Library. Sue has also helped compile a walking and biking historic tour of the Fox River Grove area that was available on museums, libraries, and the Fox River Grove village hall.
