A 90-year-old woman finally earned her college degree on Sunday, 71 years after starting her studies at Northern Illinois University.
Joyce Defoe had been waiting for this moment since 1951.
“There is so much going on that it is difficult for me to fully absorb it and take it all in. She said.
Just over 70 years ago, Mrs. DeFauw attended Northern Illinois State Teachers College. Starting with elementary courses, then I studied home economics, German, typography and accounting.
“In my church, there was this charismatic young man. It was mutual because we decided to be together,” she told WGN9.
Her husband died, and she remarried. She had nine children in total.
In spite of everything, she never forgot about school. Thanks to her children, the lady decided to go to university.
Knowing that their mother regretted not finishing her studies, her children bought her a computer in 2019.
So I attended Northern Illinois University and took classes online.
“There were times when I wanted to give up,” she admits.
But she persevered: at the age of 90 she received a baccalaureate in general studies.
She believes that “there are so many things to learn, life is so exciting and we all have different talents”.
“Total coffee aficionado. Travel buff. Music ninja. Bacon nerd. Beeraholic.”
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