Sesquicentennial Stories: The Promise of UK #103

Ms. Austin Page Lilly was the daughter of Judge Grant E. Lilly and Anna Dudley McGinn Lilly.  She graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1919 with a B.S. in Home Economics.  During Lilly’s time at UK, she was involved in a number of clubs and extracurricular activities including the YWCA, Alpha Xi Delta, and the Home Economics Club.

From the Austin Lilly photograph album

 In 1950, Austin Lilly was one of the nation’s public school teachers chosen to visit Cuba at the invitation of the island government.  After graduation, Lilly went on to teach domestic science at Lexington Junior High School until 1966.

From the Austin Lilly photograph album

 While she was a teacher, she took college courses in art. In the late 1950s she studied at the University of Arizona, the University of California, Transylvania, and the University of Guadalajara in Mexico. At Transylvania, she studied two summers under New York artist Fritz Kredel.
  

From the Austin Lilly photograph album

 She took courses for a number of years as a Donovan Scholar at UK until she became an instructor in the program in 1969. Ms. Austin Lilly served as a painting and art appreciation instructor in the Donovan Program for 14 years. In 1983, she retired from the program.

From the Austin Lilly photograph album

 In addition to her work in education and the arts she was a member of the Lexington Chapter of the D.A.R., the Kentucky Historical Society, and the Lexington Audubon Club. Ms. Lilly passed in 1991 at the age of 95.