Ora-Mae Cheaney, former faculty member at Kentucky State University in Frankfort, died late last month at the age of 100.
A native of Henderson, Kentucky, she enrolled at Kentucky State in 1931 and earned her bachelor’s degree in home economics four years later. She began her career teaching on a one-room schoolhouse in Henderson County. She then taught home economics at the Mayo-Underwood School in Frankfort for 19 years. During this period she earned a master’s degree in education at Indiana University.
In 1957, Cheaney joined the faculty at Kentucky State and taught classes on food and nutrition. She retired in 1986 with the rank of associate professor. She was the oldest living graduate of Kentucky State.
Below is a video showing Professor Cheaney’s 100th birthday celebration last August.
