We all know who she is, some of us even know her name, but most of us don’t know her story.
Louise Human is the 84-year-old woman who works as a cashier five days a week in the Atrium. She might be elderly and somewhat tired from the medication she takes, but don’t let her fool you. She’s as sharp as a tack.
Mrs. Human has been working at ETSU for 30 years, minus one year that she took off to take care of her husband.
I was setting up an interview with her and I asked her if someone would be picking her up when she got off work. She looked and me and nonchalantly said, “No, I drive myself home.” Not only does she still drive, she still mows her own lawn.
She was one of six children who grew up during the Great Depression right here in Johnson City. “My dad only made three or four dollars a week,” she said.
She never had the chance to go to high school or college, but has worked in the cafeteria at an elementary school, a high school and now at ETSU. “Now I have students that I had in first grade that have graduated [at ETSU],” she said. “I’ve enjoyed all my students. I love every one of them.”
In fact, her favorite thing about her job is getting to know the students. What is her favorite age group of students to work around? Human said, “Kids are kids. They’re all about the same. You learn to love the children, no matter what age they are.”
I guess it’s a good thing that she loves kids so much because she is a mother to five daughters, four of which are still living.
There have been several students who Mrs. Human has come to know over the years, some who have kept in touch with her for a long time. “When I come in, in the fall, there’s always a group I still want to see after they graduate,” she said.
One of the highlights of her job is getting to know students throughout their time in college. She recalled one student who never had enough money for food. She said she spent about $10 to $15 a week buying him food so that he could eat.
If all goes according to her plan, this will be Mrs. Human’s last year with us at ETSU. “I want to get a smaller place to move into and use my money from that [to live off of]. I have a place that has about 30 trees, and I’ve got 1.2 acres. I mow all summer, at least three days a week.
“Then when fall comes my yard is full of leaves. I need a smaller place where I can get out and clean the yard and get it done in 30 minutes.
“I’ve got a riding lawn mower,” she said, matter-of-factly. “I enjoy getting out there and doing that work.”
Mrs. Human lives a few short miles from campus with her great grandson and Miniature Pincer. Her grandson helps her by organizing what medication she needs to take for her diabetes. “He is so nice,” she said.
She has had a few grandsons live with her over the years. “This one has been giving me money and he fixes my insulin in the night,” she said. “He fixes it about a week at a time.”
Mrs. Human works in the Atrium five days a week, from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Sometimes her medication makes her tired, but she always gets her job done.
From my own observations, she always seems concerned about the students.
She smiles and asks how they are doing, rings up their food, then folds the receipt around their card.
She always says, “Have a good day, sweetie,” before moving on to the next customer. “I’m as nice to them as I can be in the small time I have with them,” she said.
Her gentle eyes and smile are sure to make you forget about that test or paper they are stressed out about. She is the kind of person who makes your experience at ETSU more memorable and we will miss her when she retires.

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