Alice-Kay Jenkins Hilderbrand, Class of 1967

Posted Jul 15, 2022

Alice-Kay Jenkins Hilderbrand ’67 died June 7, 2022. Alice Kay or A-K as she was known was born Nov. 21, 1945 in Buckhannon, WV and was the only child of the late Rev. William and Mary Roberts Jenkins. With her father being a minister of the United Methodist Church, the family lived in several places where he pastored.

Alice Kay graduated from Bridgeport WV High School in 1963 and went on to earn a BS in Home Economics Education from Otterbein University in 1967. While at Otterbein she became active in numerous campus activities and was elected or selected for many positions of leadership. As a senior she became the president of the Women’s Student Government Association. She enjoyed time spent as a member of Theta Nu (social) Sorority. She was awarded the Outstanding Women’s Leadership Award her senior year. The entire time she was at Otterbein she was employed by the office of student personnel. She co-chaired the annual May Day celebration on campus and the Homecoming Day celebration.

While living in Upper Sandusky she was owner/manager of Crafts from A-Z, the director at Wyandot County Council on Aging, associate director of Area Agency on Aging, Mansfield, Alice was on the board of United Way, she became director of CCAAVAW a 5-county organization to assist victims of domestic violence and Turning Point. She testified before the senate committees at the Ohio State house, concerning domestic violence. Alice Kay retired from Ohio Northern University in 2013 as Vice-President of Student Affairs. after serving the university for over 30 years in a variety of capacities. Her many accomplishments included bringing the student honorary society Mortar Board to campus, presiding over the expansion of modern apartment facilities for ONU students and always presenting a caring and understanding face to students from around Ohio, the U.S. and the world. She was Dean of Women beginning on June 1, 1971, she served for 23 years. In 1993 she accepted an offer to work at ONU working with the Ohio Association of Women Deans, Administrators and Councilors. She worked with residents of Ada through United Way and Rotary Club.