97-year-old woman finally receives high school diploma

GRAND RAPIDS, Mi. - A woman from Grand Rapids, Michigan, who was forced to drop out of high school in 1932 after her mother died of cancer, was awarded with her honorary high school diploma decades later, on October 29.

Margaret Thome Bekema, who is 97 years old, became an official member of Catholic Central Alumna class of 1936 and Catholic Central High School posted photos of Bekema to Facebook, posing with her new diploma.

Today we honored our former student, Margaret Thome Bekema, with an honorary diploma. After years of waiting, Margaret is officially a Catholic Central Alumna, class of 1936. Congratulations, Margaret!