Madeleine "Maddie” Knapp Disney

Madeleine “Maddie” Irma Edith (Sulyi) Disney of Sunman, Indiana passed away unexpectedly on Monday, October 4, 2021, surrounded by family. Maddie was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on December 10, 1940 to Hungarian/Czech parents, Endre and Emilie (Muellner) Sulyi. Her father worked for the Hungarian Consulate. When the US entered WWII, foreign diplomats working in the US and their families were interred at Greenbrier Hotel, before being deported to Europe. Her family later immigrated to the US to build a new life in 1948. After graduating from Maple Heights High School in 1959, Maddie attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in German, with a minor in Spanish. Maddie married her first husband, Kenneth Eugene Knapp, August 3, 1963, and the couple had four children together. After the family moved to a farm in Laurel, Indiana, Maddie continued her studies, earning her Master of Arts in Education from Ball State University.  

Maddie’s lifelong love of languages, other cultures and education inspired her to start the Foreign Exchange Student Program at Laurel High School. The Knapp family hosted several students in their home, including those from Peru, France, Japan and Norway.  Maddie led many group trips abroad and touched the lives of people around the world. During her dedicated 35+ year career as an educator and mentor, she taught the Flex Program (German, French, Spanish) at Connersville Junior High and German and Spanish at Connersville High School, Brookville High School, Franklin County High School and Immaculate Conception Academy in Oldenburg, Indiana, where she retired in 2007. 

Maddie met her second husband, Tony Disney, at a Hospitality International Meeting, and the pair became inseparable. They were married August 19th, 1996. Tony brought two daughters to their new family, Morgan and Blair, who Maddie quickly claimed as her own.

Not letting retirement slow her down, Maddie continued traveling the globe, visiting foreign family members, exercising at the YMCA and participating in her Book Club. She also enjoyed playing ping pong, Wii tennis, euchre, and board games with family and friends. One of Maddie’s favorite pursuits was riding trike motorbikes with Tony, especially in the Smoky Mountains. Maddie also generously volunteered at Safe Passage, the YMCA, and supported many other organizations.

Loving, sharp, kind, quirky, and quick to laugh, Maddie was creatively thrifty and never let anything go to waste. A social butterfly, she was keen to share her experiences and travels with others, kept correspondence with international pen pals and always had a cheerful smile to share. Very proud of her family and heritage, Maddie had recently been compiling an extensive family tree, including relatives around the globe. She loved family and was over the moon when she became a great-grandmother in 2020.

She is survived by her husband of 25 years, Tony Disney; her children Andi (Bob) Ashcraft, Gena Kay, Rikki Fulgoni and Chris (Mare) Knapp; step-daughters Morgan Disney and Blair (Derek) Stevens, her sister Betty (Don) Shankleton of Houston, TX, eleven grandchildren, a great-grandson, nephews, and cousins in multiple countries.

Maddie was preceded in death by her first husband Kenneth Knapp, her brother Leslie Sulyi and her parents Endre and Emilie Sulyi. 

In lieu of flowers, donations in Maddie’s honor to the following organizations would be appreciated. *Consider donating the amount of your age, as was Maddie’s fun custom for birthdays, something she never forgot.

Southeastern Indiana YMCA

30 SR 129 South

Batesville, Indiana 47006

812-934-6006

https://operations.daxko.com/online/5085/OnlineGiving/Donation.mvc

For Campaign Dropdown button, choose “In Memory of Maddie Disney”

Safe Passage Inc

PO Box 235

Batesville, IN 47006

812-933-1990

https://safepassageinc.org/donate/

There is a space to notate a dedication on the “Donate” page.

Celebration of Life memorial service for Maddie will be held Saturday, November 6 from 2-5pm at The Sherman, 35 S Main St, Batesville, IN 47006 / COVID protocols will be in place. Please wear a mask and be respectful of social distancing, for everyone’s health and safety. 

Topic: Maddie's Celebration of Life
Time: Nov 6, 2021 02:00 PM-5PM Indiana (East)-EST / (11am-2pm PST)

Meeting ID: 831 0725 2070
Passcode: 396549
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