Take me back to the Oral History landing page.
Phyllis Cheaney - Tumultuous 2020
Phyllis (Cline) Cheaney discusses the traumatic experience of caring for her father Carroll after he came down with COVID-19 in August 2020. She discussed growing up on a farm, her marriage to Dick Cheaney, and their parallel careers as teachers and educators in Springfield, Illinois. Following her father's diagnosis with COVID-19, she and her sister Patricia cared for their father in the family home in Petersburg. During that time, Phyllis, Pat and their mother also caught the disease, but did not suffer from severe symptoms. Carrol Cline died on September 21 from COVID-19.
Interview Links
Feature Excerpt
Seeds of His Life
Abstract
Interview Session 01 (Audio)
Early life, family story and professional career as an educator
Interview Session 02 (Audio)
Father’s battle with COVID-19, his care and death in Sep 2020
Photos
Caption:
Phyllis was Dick’s date for the Petersburg High School prom, one of their first dates. Dick was a junior at the time, while Phyllis was in 9th grade.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Carroll and Imie (Imogene) Cline shortly after their marriage in 1946. Carroll was a tenant farmer in rural Pleasant Plains, Illinois at the time.
Where:
Pleasant Plains, Illinois
When:
1946
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Phyllis Cline was on the family farm practicing moving four spotted Poland China hogs (two boars and two barrows) in preparation for the Menard County Fair project on August 10, 1960.
Where:
Menard County, Illinois
When:
August 10, 1960
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
The Cline family took time out for a photo in October 1964 while living on the farm where Carroll worked as a tenant farmer. From left to right are Carroll, Imie, Phyllis and Patti.
Where:
Menard County, Illinois
When:
October 1964
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Dick Cheaney and Phyllis Cline were married on August 18, 1968 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Petersburg, Illinois. Dick and Phyllis still attended the church at the time of the interview.
Where:
Petersburg, Illinois
When:
August 18, 1968
Ownership:
May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator.
Caption:
Phyllis Cheaney was teaching at DuBois School in Springfield, Illinois in the early 1970s. She always enjoyed story time with her students.
Where:
Springfield, Illinois
When:
Early 1970's
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Phyllis was principal at Lincoln School in Springfield in the late 1980s when this photo was taken while working at her desk.
Where:
Springfield, Illinois
When:
Early 1980's
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Phyllis was serving as principal at Butler School in Springfield in the mid-1990s.
Where:
Springfield, Illinois
When:
Early 1990's
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Carroll and Imie Cline celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on October 1, 1996. They were living in Petersburg at the time, in a home they had built in 1992.
Where:
Petersburg, Illinois
When:
October 1, 1996
Ownership:
May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator.
Caption:
Carroll Cline received this ear of corn in 2019 from a farmer who rented his farmland in rural Pleasant Plains, Illinois. It was a sign of things to come as harvest time was approaching.
Where:
Petersburg, Illinois
When:
2019
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption:
Phyllis enjoyed the chance to jump rope with Septembra, a student at Butler School where Phyllis served as principal when the photo was taken in 2002 by a Springfield State Journal Register. The photo was used for an article announcing Phyllis’s retirement.
Where:
Springfield, Illinois
When:
2002
Ownership:
May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator.