Alton Cheney ’38W

Oldest-known living alumnus has aptitude for success

One would never suspect that when Alton “Al” W. Cheney ’38W was born, a loaf of bread cost 12 cents or that the 19th Amendment that gave women the right to vote had been law for barely a month. Mr. Cheney’s voice is clear and steady with an easy chuckle and an obvious sense of humor, completely belying the fact that he turned 100 in September—making him the oldest-known living alumnus of WMA.

Mr. Cheney grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts, in a house on Howes Street that still stands. “I skipped some grades earlier in my life and graduated high school at age 16,” Mr. Cheney said. “My parents felt I needed another year before going off to college and so they enrolled me at Wilbraham Academy.”

He lived in Rich Hall during his postgraduate year and was a member of the Football, Tennis and Basketball teams. “Everyone except the center was like me, short and fast,” he recalled of his time on the basketball court. “I guess if you have a tall center like we did, you can get away with that.”

Mr. Cheney was busy off the court, too, participating in Glee Club, and was sports editor for Atlas (school newspaper) and assistant editor of Del Todo (yearbook).

As for the academic rigors of the Academy, Mr. Cheney said they were tough but he fondly recalled a newly hired chemistry teacher who he said “didn’t know the text book very well. Eventually he admitted to us that he was only a chapter ahead!” For his own part, Mr. Cheney rated himself a “good student,” which may be a bit modest as he was offered a scholarship to Yale University upon his graduation. “I never would have made it without that one year at Wilbraham,” he said.

Mr. Cheney graduated from Yale in the spring of 1942 and was quickly snapped up by the U.S. Army Air Corps but did not immediately put his engineering degree to use. “I had done some work at Yale designing aptitude tests that were supposed to predict a student’s eventual GPA. It predicted mine exactly, so I guess I was good at it. The Air Corps put me to work on aptitude tests for would-be pilots.”

An accident involving a motorcycle put Mr. Cheney in the hospital for five months and ended his military career early. “They determined I was more than 50 percent disabled so I was out.” He also learned that five Academy classmates, including Warren A. Hindenlang ’38W, who had attended Yale with him, had been killed in action. According to Academy records, other classmates killed in action during World War II were William D. Emery ’38W, John C. Henderson ’38W, Harold J. Laveille ’38W and William A. Preston ’38W.

There was a bright spot, however. Before his accident, Mr. Cheney had met Lillian “Lee” Osberg, a Women’s Air Corps Sergeant in the Signal Corps. They were married in June 1944.

After the war, Mr. Cheney spent 32 years as a mechanical engineer for the Chain Belt Company (later Rexnord Corporation). His career took him and Mrs. Cheney—and eventually four sons—to Wisconsin, Michigan and Southern California. He took early retirement in 1977 and then made an interesting decision. “I thought it might be nice to get my law degree, so I did.” He entered John Marshall Law School in Chicago and graduated in 1980. “I found no one would hire a brand new lawyer who was already 60 years old, so I decided to open my own practice.” His doctor suggested a drier climate, so the Cheneys relocated to Prescott, Arizona.

A 20-year career as an attorney followed, with Mr. Cheney concentrating on the needs of the elderly. “I focused on wills and probate, normally charging $100 per hour rather than the typical $300. I did a lot of pro bono work, too,” he said.

“I’ve always been an outgoing person and giving back is just what you do. I find helping other people helps me.”

— alton “al” cheney ’38w

• LEft: Yearbook photo of Alton “Al” Cheney ’38W right: Recent photo of Alton “Al” Cheney ’38W

• Yearbook entry for Alton “Al” Cheney ’38W

Upon his second retirement, Mr. Cheney began volunteering in the outpatient clinic of the local Veterans Administration Hospital. “I’ve always been an outgoing person and giving back is just what you do. I find helping other people helps me.” Likewise, Mrs. Cheney volunteered for the Prescott Samaritan Village and was a hostess at nearby Sharlot Hall Museum.

Their family grew—he now counts 17 greatgrandchildren—and Mr. Cheney fought a successful battle against prostate cancer. Following Mrs. Cheney’s death at 92 in 2010, Mr. Cheney began volunteering three days a week with Good Samaritan Hospice—a commitment he kept until the pandemic began last spring. “I’ll go back as soon as they’ll have me,” Mr. Cheney said. “At this point most of the people I help are younger than I am!”

Mr. Cheney chose a fitting quote for his yearbook entry 82 years ago: “No distance too great, no road too tough.” And when asked what advice he would give to current students, Mr. Cheney said: “Don’t go with the crowd. Don’t aim to be ‘better’ than anyone else, just be unique.”

Recognizing Mr. Cheney’s own uniqueness and volunteerism, the town of Prescott declared Sept. 19, 2020, as “Alton W. Cheney Day” in his honor.