This fund, originally created in 1992, was established as an endowment in 1998 upon receipt of an unrestricted bequest from the estate of Elizabeth Knell Shepard.
Elizabeth Shepard (1917-1996) lived in Aurora until 1971 at which time she moved to Michigan with her husband L. Montgomery Shepard.
Her father John Knell was co-founder and president of All-Steel in Aurora.
While living in Aurora, she served on the Copley Memorial Hospital Board of Directors and remained an active supporter of the hospital until her death.
The Knell Cancer Care Center at Rush-Copley Medical Center was named in honor of her family’s long-standing commitment to the institution.