Vivian Ellen (née Veach) Hickey (March 25, 1916 – April 28, 2016) was an American educator and politician. Born in

Clayton, Illinois Clayton is a village in Adams County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, the total population was 639 people, down from 709 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Quincy, IL– MO Micropolitan Statistical Area. History Clayton ...

, Hickey received her bachelor's degree from

Rockford University Rockford University is a private university in Rockford, Illinois. It was founded in 1847 as Rockford Female Seminary and changed its name to Rockford College in 1892, and to Rockford University in 2013. History Rockford Female Seminary was ...

, in 1937 and her master's degree from the

University of North Carolina The University of North Carolina is the multi-campus public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the NC School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referred to as the UNC Sy ...

, in 1938. Hickey also studied at Bradley Polytechnic Institute and

University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

. She taught at Keith Country Day School, Winnebago High School, and Rockford University. She lived in

Rockford, Illinois Rockford is a city in Winnebago County, Illinois, located in the far northern part of the state. Situated on the banks of the Rock River, Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County (a small portion of the city is located in Ogle County). ...

. Hickey was elected to the Rock Valley College Board and was involved with the

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

. In 1974, Hickey was appointed to the

Illinois Senate The Illinois Senate is the Upper house, upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state, State of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adop ...

after Senator Betty Ann Keegan died while in office. Hickey served until 1979. In 2011, Hickey moved to

Mill Valley, California Mill Valley is a city in Marin County, California, Marin County, California, United States, located about north of San Francisco via the Golden Gate Bridge and from Napa Valley. The population was 14,231 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 ...

to be closer to her family. She died at the Redwoods Retirement Community in Mill Valley, California.Vivian Hickey-obituary
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* 1916 births 2016 deaths People from Adams County, Illinois Politicians from Rockford, Illinois People from Mill Valley, California Bradley University alumni University of North Carolina alumni University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni Rockford University alumni Rockford University faculty Women state legislators in Illinois Democratic Party Illinois state senators American centenarians Women centenarians American women academics 21st-century American women {{Illinois-statesenator-stub