Doris V. HANCOCK

HANCOCK

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 3/9/2007 at 22:15:10

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL
4/8/1987

PIONEER LV TEACHER HANCOCK DEAD AT 91

Doris V. Hancock, pioneer Las Vegas kindergarten teacher, died Tuesday in San Diego. She was 91. Hancock began teaching in Las Vegas in 1924 and taught for 39 years before retiring and moving to San Diego. One of her more well known students was Gov. Richard Bryan. She was born in Belfast, Wash., April 24, 1895, and received her early education in Clarion, Iowa. After high school graduation, Hancock taught in a one-room schoolhouse in Belmond, Iowa, for two years. She also taught in South Dakota, Idaho, Washington, and Nebraska before coming to Las Vegas. For many years, Hancock was Las Vegas' only kindergarten teacher. She taught first at Fifth Street School and finished her career at John S. Park School. Hancock also studied art in Colorado and Los Angeles. Some of her paintings hang in Las Vegas homes, and a painting she did of the old Las Vegas Mormon Fort was donated to the UNLV library. She also donated a book collection to the library. In 1949 Hancock was honored as woman of the year by the Business and Professional Women's Club. In 1965, the Doris V. Hancock Elementary School on Lindl Road was named for her. She was a charter member of both Delta Kappa Gamma and the Las Vegas Art League. After cremation, her ashes will be returned to Clarion. Memorial services will be held this week in San Diego. Memorial contributions can be made to the Doris V. Hancock library endowment at UNLV.