Picture waking up to the gentle sounds of the countryside, surrounded by rolling pastures and a sense of stillness only dreamed of by most people. For Cheryl French, 72, this peaceful life in Maysville is the latest chapter in a remarkable journey.
Driven by a lifelong love for science and animals, she earned her degree from Kentucky State University and her doctorate in veterinary medicine from Tuskegee University in Alabama, launching a career that took her far beyond her rural roots. As a veterinarian and later as a specialist with the United States Department of Agriculture, Cheryl’s work spanned the globe—from Central America to Washington, D.C., and even Africa. After decades of adventure and service, she retired as a foreign service officer, bringing her back to where it all began: the tranquil fields of Kentucky.
Cheryl has had a life full of joy before, during and after her career. She has many friends who live in other states, and two brothers who live nearby. While part of many different clubs and organizations in Maysville, the most prominent thing Cheryl does on her day-to-day basis is farming. She owns 115 acres of land, owns and cares for 28 cows and 21 calves and has two dogs and three cats.
She lives in a very private area in the countryside of Maysville. Living outside of the norm is something familiar to Cheryl. She lives alone, has never married and never had any kids.
“I do sometimes wish I had a guy to cuddle with… but I wouldn’t want him to be with me for more than three or four days,” she said. “That would be the icing on the cake, if I could find someone who understood my lifestyle and wasn’t clingy.”
Lonely isn’t a statement used to describe Cheryl.
“I could sit in the corner and look at you all day and not need any interaction,” she said. adding that there is no moment when she ever feels lonely.
