Marilyn E. Knuppel Obituary (1932 - 2022)

Marilyn Knuppel, 90, of Normal passed away peacefully on September 22, 2022 at Heritage of Bloomington. Marilyn was born April 8, 1932 to Harold and Leah Buck Downs in Bloomington. She was preceded in death by her parents, her son William Harold Knuppel, and her sister Betty June Thompson. She was a graduate of Bloomington High School. Marilyn was active in Girl Scouts when her daughters were young, serving as a Brownie and Jr. Girl Scout leader. She was a loving mother and a fierce advocate for her special needs son. Marilyn worked a total of 32 years for State Farm. In her 20s, she was part of a team who moved to VA, PA and CA to set up offices and train new staff. After raising her family, she went back to work for State Farm, retiring in 1997. She was a volunteer through her church and in delivering Peace Meals. In her later years she enjoyed her family and also reading, solving crossword and other puzzles, and participating in Bloomington Parks activities. She enjoyed watching sports on TV, especially basketball, and watching her grandchildren's college teams. She loved animals and those people who were developmentally unable to care for themselves. She was very generous in supporting those causes. She is survived by her daughters, Carolyn (Michael) Guilford, Kathleen (Thomas) Mantia; son Andrew (Robin) Knuppel; 11 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren; and one sister Diane Peavler. In recent years she attended Park United Methodist and prior to that, was a long time member of Calvary United Methodist Church. Funeral visitation will be held October 15 at 10:30 1 11:00 am Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home, Bloomington. A graveside service will follow at 11:30 at Park Hill Cemetery, Bloomington. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Humane Society of Central Illinois. Please view the obituary and share your condolences and memories online at www.calvertmemorial.com