Dr. Lela O’Toole
Dr. Lela O’Toole, a native of Thomas, served 24 years as dean of the College of Home Economics at Oklahoma State University.
At OSU, Dean O’Toole was actively engaged in international education activities. This included travel to Turkey, Thailand, and Ireland to study educational systems, family life, education of women, and development of home economics.
She received her Ph.D. at Ohio State University with major fields of study in higher education administration and teacher education, home economics, secondary education and philosophy.
In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Dean O’Toole to serve on the National Council on Vocational-Technical Education. At that time, she was the only woman to serve on the council.
Dr. O'Toole was inducted to the CareerTech Hall of Fame in 1990.
