Christine and Herbert C. Cary

Christine H. Cary was born and raised in Daviess County, Kentucky. Christine graduated from Utica High School in 1930. After graduation, she enrolled as a student at WKU and earned an Elementary Teachers’ Certificate. She then began her teaching career at Locust Grove, a rural one room school near Utica, Kentucky, that taught students in all eight grades. For the next 17 years, she taught the third grade in Daviess and Fayette Counties. During this time, she also was a part-time student at Kentucky Wesleyan College. She was awarded a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 1959. She retired from teaching in 1966, and began actively pursuing a number of other interests.

Christine was married to Herbert Cecil Cary. Herbert was born July 1, 1918, in Webster County, Kentucky. He graduated from WKU in 1940, with a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture and biology. As a student at WKU, he was recognized as a LY Lancaster Student. He then earned master’s degrees from University of Kentucky and Harvard University. He built a successful career for himself after leaving WKU. After teaching vocational agriculture for several years, he worked for the USDA Soil Conservation Service and eventually retired from the United States Department of Agriculture.

Christine and Herbert lived in Kentucky, and raised their family on a farm in Pleasant Ridge. Herbert was a member of the Owensboro Masonic Lodge, Lions Club, and Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church. His career took the family to Lexington, Kentucky, where he served as a deacon at Calvary Baptist Church. From Lexington, they moved to Athens, Georgia, in 1966, where he served as State Agronomist until his retirement.

While in Georgia, Christine became interested in garden club work and joined the Garden Club of Athens. When the family moved to Mount Juliet, Tennessee, in 1977, she brought her interest in garden club activities with her and was co-founder of the Lake Forrest Acres Garden Club. She was also a member of the Garden Club of Donelson and the Donelson Homemaker’s Club. While in Mount Juliet, Herbert opened his business, “Cary’s Antiques,” in 1977.

From 1990 to 1995, they researched the history of the Department of Agriculture at WKU and wrote a book on their work, Road to Excellence. At the department’s annual Homecoming luncheon in 1996, Christine was named the Department’s Friend of the Year and Herbert was named Outstanding Alumnus of the Year.

Christine and Herbert were married for 65 years until her passing on April 20, 2005, and his on August 17, 2005.

To further give back to the university, Christine and Herbert established the Christine and Herbert C. Cary Endowed Scholarship. The fund assists WKU students majoring in agriculture education or agriculture. Through this fund, Christine and Herbert’s legacies on the Hill live on.