Mary Craighead

Mary Byrd Story Craighead was born on October 16, 1906, near Glasgow, Kentucky. Born to BP and Mary Ellen Story, Mary was the youngest of 12 children. She became a student at WKU at the age of 16, working in various jobs to finance her initial college education. After earning her teaching certificate at 18, she began her teaching career in Barren County, Kentucky. She returned to WKU while still teaching, earning her bachelor’s degree by attending summer school and Saturday and evening classes.

Mary taught for over 40 years in various elementary school settings in Barren County. She worked tirelessly to provide the best educational experiences for her students. She was instrumental in preparing hundreds of young people for their future success in school and life. During that time, she was also active in her community and often taught both children and adult Sunday School classes at Hiseville United Methodist Church in Cave City, Kentucky.

Mary married Ernest Craighead in 1939. They were married for many years until his passing on September 26, 1987, and hers on April 5, 1998. Mary and Ernest had two daughters. Both of their daughters and sons-in-law are graduates of WKU.

Mary “Lou”Walthall received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees while on the Hill. She taught for several years in public and private schools. The majority of her career was in Christian education and ministry.

William L. “Bill” Walthall came to the Hill in 1964. He then spent several years in the military during the Vietnam era. He completed his education in 1974, with a degree in business administration in WKU. The majority of his career was spent at Goodrich Corporation-Aerospace in upper management positions.

To further give back to the university, family and friends established the Mary Craighead Scholarship Fund. The fund assists deserving WKU students as they achieve their academic goals. Through this fund, Mary’s legacy lives on in perpetuity.