Avon Lake Woman Set to Graduate College Just One Day Before Turning 80-Years-Old

AVON LAKE, OH — Kathy Leopold of Avon Lake will cross the stage at Lorain County Community College on May 17 to receive her associate of arts degree, just one day before her 80th birthday. A retired teacher, Leopold already holds a bachelor’s degree from Albion College and a master’s degree from Cleveland State University. Still, she said continuing her education remains vital.

“I think this is a big accomplishment for somebody of my age,” Leopold said. “I want to be around for a long time. And learning helps to keep my brain going.”

Leopold’s journey to this milestone is built on a lifetime of travel, service, and resilience. She attended the 1968 Summer Olympics and the 1970 World Cup, traveled solo to a remote Taiwanese village in 1977 using only a photograph to find her parents’ home, and has survived a heart attack. Her commitment to humanitarian work includes more than a dozen medical mission trips to Nicaragua and Guatemala, the most recent just weeks ago.

For ten days, she was part of a team providing general, pediatric, dental, and eye care to indigenous communities in Guatemala. Her stories from those missions found their way into her writing through creative courses offered by LCCC’s Center for Lifelong Learning, a program tailored for students aged 50 and older. It was there she began to transform her experiences into literature.

One of her stories, a fable about a quetzal named Q navigating adoption, was inspired by her own family. Both of her sons were adopted, and the story has recently been selected for use by Lorain County Children Services.

“I recently found out my book is going to be used by Lorain County Children Services as a learning tool and story of hope for children who are hoping to be adopted,” she said. “I’m very honored.”

After a fellow student asked why she wasn’t pursuing a degree, Leopold investigated the possibility. Many of her existing courses qualified for credit, allowing her to advance quickly toward graduation. As she enrolled in more traditional classes, she found herself surrounded by younger students, some still in their teens.

“Many of them are so young, some are still teenagers,” she said. “And they could see, when I asked questions or when I made comments, that I have more experience in life than they do.”

Through classroom discussions, Leopold’s experiences as a traveler, educator, and parent brought unique perspectives to the group. In return, she said her younger peers introduced her to fresh, imaginative ideas inspired by video games and books she hadn’t encountered before.

“I’ve learned a lot from the young kids in class,” she said. “The ideas that they come up with are so fantastic.”

Although she’s graduating, Leopold isn’t leaving the classroom anytime soon. She plans to continue attending classes at LCCC and remains an active part of the campus community.

“I’m still learning. And I really like it,” she said. “I love life and I’m not afraid to try new things.”

Leopold will be one of many inspirational stories at LCCC's commencement this year. A mother-daughter duo will also graduate side by side from the same college on the same day, highlighting how learning spans generations and continues to connect families through shared achievement. Cleveland 13 has that story available here.

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