NORMAL, Ill. – Dr. Marian Kneer, a longtime supporter of Illinois State softball and the Illinois State Athletics Department, passed away at the age of 96 on Friday, July 3.
Following a Hall of Fame playing career and lifetime of dedication to the sport of softball, the Redbird Softball Complex was renamed Marian Kneer Stadium on July 25, 2008, following a generous donation by Dr. Kneer. In recognition of her support of the Weisbecker Scholarship Fund and Illinois State Athletics, Dr. Kneer was honored as the recipient of the 2016 Joseph F. Warner Golden Redbird Award, the highest honor bestowed to a donor by the Illinois State Athletics Department.