The ‘true and blue’ Todds

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 24, 2025) — Patricia “Patsy” Brantley walked in the University of Kentucky’s commencement ceremony in Memorial Coliseum on Monday, May 13, 1968. Her degree was in vocational home economics, now part of the School of Human Environmental Sciences (HES) in the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.

On Saturday of that same week, she married her high school sweetheart, Lee Todd Jr., in their hometown of Earlington, Kentucky. He finished his UK degree in electrical engineering in August.

In their 57 years of marriage, the Todds have earned additional degrees, raised two children, taught, established businesses and served as president and first lady of UK.

When Lee retired from the UK presidency in 2011 after 10 years in the role, he said UK was the love of his and Patsy’s lives.

“We’ve been UK true and blue for a long time,” he said.

Meeting the state’s needs

The Todds continue to support the university in myriad ways, including a recent gift to permanently endow the Patricia Brantley Todd Endowed Fund for Excellence, which supports UK Cooperative Extension Service programs and a biannual award for exemplary service by faculty and staff.

Patsy said she is amazed at the “multifaceted” impact that UK Extension agents have on their communities.

Extension agents are “trusted ambassadors,” Lee said, who can communicate from the university to Kentuckians to “make research real.”

During Lee’s tenure as president, he and Patsy took a 22-city tour across Kentucky, hosting many of their meetings at the local county UK Extension office. At one statewide UK Extension conference, several deans from across UK accompanied him to talk about disseminating research. After speaking, the deans sat down to speak with UK Extension personnel directly.

“The longest line was behind the fine arts table,” Lee said. “There was just a real need.”

When UK Extension hired a fine arts extension agent in Pike County, UK became the first land-grant institution in the country to have a fine arts agent. Today, UK Extension continues fine arts programming, with 11 personnel across the state.

The ‘well-thought-out’ HES program

Often, when remembering a piece of information or putting a skill to use, Patsy finds herself wondering where she learned it.

The answer: “the well-thought-out, well-planned HES program.”

In UK's curriculum, Patsy learned about everything from physiology and economics to management and family living. As UK’s first lady who described herself as a mother to UK students, Patsy frequently relied on what she learned during her undergraduate education.

At the time, vocational home economics students had to spend several weeks living in what was called the Home Management House, for an intensive and “up close and personal” education.

This was great practice for the Todds’ eventual management of Maxwell Place, the president’s residence on campus. The Todds intentionally opened the grounds and even the house to students.

At least one of the pair stayed in business attire until 10 or 11 every night, just in case someone rang the doorbell looking for fresh-baked cookies or a tour. Once, a few young women dropped off a pie they’d baked; another time, young men who had been let in for cookies found and started playing the grand piano.

People would question how the Todds could be so hospitable in their approach to Maxwell Place, which Patsy described as “a calling.”

The answer to that, too, was her formative years in HES.

Giving back to the university  

The Todds encourage others to do what they once did: Take a look at how you spend your money and determine how you can give.

“I think people really have to learn to give,” said Patsy, who founded the UK Women and Philanthropy Network.

Lee said they have been intentional with spreading their donations across the university as needed and have enjoyed seeing what can be accomplished with support.

“UK has been a very important part of our lives, so we like to do something to pay back a little,” Lee said.

Patsy summed up the Todds’ commitment to their alma mater, their longtime employer, the love of their lives: “How can you not give to the university?”