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Â鶹ֱ²¥ to Celebrate Longtime Supporter and Alum at Ceremony

Published on: April 27, 2026

This photo shows a man and a woman cutting a yellow ribbon with a softball team in uniform in the background.

Â鶹ֱ²¥ University is honoring a very special alumnus with a tribute and plaque unveiling on Monday, April 27.

Bob O’Keefe graduated from Â鶹ֱ²¥ in 1967 with a bachelor's degree in business administration and went on to work in sales for numerous organizations including Angelica Corporation. He retired in 1995.

More recently at Â鶹ֱ²¥, though, he was known for his devotion to the Â鶹ֱ²¥ Softball program. Together with his wife, Fran, he helped create the softball field, the Fran O’Keefe Hitting Pavilion, and also made a more than $2.4 million estate gift to the university that will be divided between several initiatives including the Bob and Fran O’Keefe Endowed Scholarship, the President’s Priority Fund, capital improvements for Â鶹ֱ²¥ Athletics and an endowment to support the softball program. Estate gifts are ones that are allocated for posthumous distribution.

O’Keefe’s support didn’t stop there though. He frequently turned out to watch games and knew all the Â鶹ֱ²¥ players year after year. 

On Monday, April 27 at 1pm, Â鶹ֱ²¥ trustees, alumni, softball players, and leaders will gather for a special memorial celebration honoring his life and enduring legacy at Â鶹ֱ²¥. The gathering will take place on the Â鶹ֱ²¥ Softball Field and will include remarks about his life and legacy, an opportunity for attendees to place white roses on the pitcher’s mound and the unveiling of a commemorative plaque marking the very spot where O’Keefe often stood offering his support. 

“We are celebrating a man whose generosity, humility and unwavering commitment to Â鶹ֱ²¥ shaped our community in lasting and significant ways. Bob O’Keefe had a profound impact on our University and our softball program and he’s greatly missed,” said President Lynne Coy-Ogan.