It may have taken her 71 years, but Joyce Viola DeFauw is officially a college graduate.
If you'd asked Joyce back in 1951 what her future held, she would have told you that she planned on finishing what she had just started — her university degree in home economics. The first one in her family to attend college, she wanted to make her dad proud.
But then, life happened. Or rather, someone happened.
After 3 and a half years of pursuing her post-secondary education, she fell in love. And fell out of college.
The Detour That Took 71 Years to Come Full Circle
At the same time as she was attending college, Joyce met "good-looking" Don Freeman Sr. at church. She knew her life would never be the same.
“I went to school for three and a half years but decided to leave after I met him,” DeFauw told CNN.
The couple married in 1955 and had three children together in three years before Don passed away in 1958.
Five years later, Joyce found love again and remarried. This time to her late second husband Roy DeFauw. They had 6 children, including 2 sets of twins.
Life was busy for the mom of nine and the years passed swiftly. She eventually became a grandmother of 17 and a great-grandmother of 24.
She'd lived a good life, however, she had one regret.
“I guess I mentioned I was upset that I didn’t finish school and my children encouraged me to go back,” Joyce said.
In August 2019, she re-enrolled in her alma mater, Northern Illinois University. Sixty-seven years and 11 months after she had first enrolled as a student. At the time, she was 86 years old.
The University Degree Seven Decades in the Making
This time, things were a little different. Instead of attending classes on campus and living in a house with 7 other "town girls," Joyce attended them online from her room in a retirement home.
The journey wasn't always easy. Joyce had to learn how to use a computer, having never owned one before, and she considered quitting — more than once.
“A lot of times I would have quit. I almost did,” she said.
However, she persevered. “There were just too many people who knew about it. I didn’t want to let them down. I quit once and I was like, ‘I don’t want to do it again.’”
And when a financial situation threatened to derail her journey, the university stepped up with a scholarship to help her reach the finish line.
Three years later, in December 2022, the 90-year-old great-grandmother walked across the stage to receive her Bachelor of General Studies diploma in a beautiful full-circle moment — 71 years in the making.
Joyce was dressed in her black gown and black cap, fittingly emblazoned with gold stars and the words, "Super Senior '22." It was a moment she'll never forget.
“You can’t put a value on it, in my opinion,” she shared in the university's press release. “Just don’t give up. I mean if you have the opportunity, take that opportunity, and you never know. A lot of us get sidetracked or whatever, but go back. Don’t give up.”
Often in life, we veer off the path we thought we'd take and forge a new one. Some dreams are lost to make room for new ones. But sometimes, those dreams aren't really lost at all, they're just waiting.
And all it takes is a little patience, perseverance, and determination to make those dreams come true. Even if it takes a lifetime.
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Military Dad Defends His 4 Little Daughters When Strangers Make This Rude Remark
Military Dad of 4 Daughters Defends His Girls When Strangers Make This Rude Remark
Austin von Letkemann is the military officer strangers feel "sorry" for — and the reason is infuriating.
Whenever the devoted father leaves the house with his four children, strangers can't help but notice the officer in uniform is holding hands with 4 adorable little girls. They will tell the traditionally "masculine" and "all American" dad they feel sorry for him, because he has no sons. This dad makes one thing very clear: They are his daughters, they aren't a burden.
In a passionate video, von Letkemann took to Instagram to share with his followers that the only thing that's "difficult" about being a girl dad — is clapping back to these sexist remarks over and over again.
They Mock His Daughters To Their Face
When strangers approach Austin von Letkemann and his four daughters, they don't always realize that their comments are being overheard. They seem oblivious to the fact that his girls understand every word. Von Letkemann describes how people will approach him and, without thinking, make remarks like "I'm sorry" or even joke about his lack of sons. What they don't realize is that these comments, intended to be light-hearted or humorous, can be deeply hurtful to his daughters. These strangers are not just disrespecting von Letkemann's choices as a father; they're also sending a message to his daughters that their presence is something to be pitied. It’s a message that von Letkemann won't stand for, and he's speaking out to defend his girls from these insensitive remarksSaying "Get Your Shotgun" Isn't Funny — It's Sexist
Another common comment that Austin von Letkemann encounters is the old "better get your shotgun ready" trope, often delivered with a smirk or a wink. This line is typically intended to suggest that a father with daughters should be on high alert to protect them from potential "suitors," implying that they are objects to be guarded rather than individuals with agency.
Von Letkemann finds this line of thinking outdated and sexist. In his viral Instagram video, he points out that these jokes are not just stale — they're damaging.
By suggesting that his daughters require armed protection, the joke reinforces the idea that women are inherently vulnerable and need to be shielded from men. Von Letkemann argues that instead of promoting this narrative, society should focus on teaching respect and consent, challenging these sexist tropes at their source.
Watch Austin von Letkemann's Video:
"If I Had A Fifth Child, I'd HOPE It Was A Girl" — One Dad's Message For Other Parents
Despite the constant remarks about his lack of sons, Austin von Letkemann is clear: He wouldn't trade his daughters for anything.
In fact, he told his Instagram followers that if he were to have a fifth child, he would hope for another girl. This declaration isn't just about doubling down on his pride in his family — it's a pointed response to those who see fathering daughters as a misfortune.
Von Letkemann's stance is a powerful one, rejecting the notion that a family is incomplete without sons. He encourages others to question the assumptions behind these comments and to appreciate the joy and fulfillment that his daughters bring. By sharing his story, von Letkemann hopes to create a more inclusive perspective on fatherhood, one that values daughters just as much as sons.