Oral History
Interviewee:  Lucy H. Hanson (b. 07/15/1929 - d. xx/xx/xxxx)
Interviewer:  Kim Finston - SHM Volunteer
Audio Number: 1634A & 1634B
Duration: 00:31:29 & 00:41:32
Date:  June 7, 2022
Topics Discussed:  Growing up in Holland; Languages; High School; Secretarial job; German invasion; World War II; Amsterdam; Culture in Holland; Postwar World War II hardships; Birmingham, England; Cambridge University; Buckingham Palace; Orange County, California; Real Estate license; Family history; Move to Prescott; Volunteering at the Sharlot Hall Museum.

Bio

Lucy (Worten) Hanson was born in Holland, Netherlands on July 15, 1929. She and her family lived in Hilverson, where she and her siblings attended school. In 1941, Germany invaded Holland when Lucy was 11 years old. The war years were very difficult for her and her family, and it was five long years before Holland was liberated. The first several years after the war there was nothing in the stores – no shoes, no food, no clothes.

Lucy graduated from high school in 1945, and soon after, took a job in Birmingham, England at the International University of Birmingham. For the next several years, she and her girlfriend traveled widely in Scotland, Spain, France, Monaco and Italy. She eventually returned home to Holland. In the early 1960s she received a letter from her sister who lived in Orange County, California and she emigrated to the United States in 1963. She worked for a realtor, earned her real estate license, learned to drive and bought her first car. In 1964 Lucy married Merlin Hanson, had two children in 1966 and 1969, and moved to Prescott with her family in 1992. Her husband passed away in 1995.

Lucy became a volunteer at the Sharlot Hall Museum and has been a dedicated volunteer for over 27 years, doing everything from gift shop tours to the Prescott Indian Art Market. Her story is both inspiring and uplifting.

Time         Topic /Subject Discussed
00:00:41    Lucy (Worten) Hanson
00:01:03    Born in Holland, Netherlands - July 15, 1929
00:01:31    Family - parents & siblings & growing up in Holland
00:03:39    Home town Hilverson, Holland
00:05:59    Attended Catholic school & school year – 240 days
00:08:20    Lucy was the first to graduate High School
00:09:02    Difference in American and Dutch schools
00:09:41    Germany invaded Holland in 1941 (11 years old)
00:12:40    After the war different culture
00:13:04    1945 – graduated from High School
00:14:36    Took some classes in typing and short hand
00:14:41    Mom – “Can always find a job as a secretary”
00:15:01    16th birthday – Dad bought Lucy a mandolin
00:15:26    Invited to play in orchestra
00:16:07    Orchestra and 10 girl singers - traveled around the country entertaining
00:17:57    Germans took everything - nothing in the stores – no shoes, no clothes, no food
00:21:40    New normal - Up to women to keep the country going
00:23:46    War ended in 1945
00:26:30    Job in Birmingham, England
00:29:51    International University at Birmingham
00:30:01    Got Lower Certificate in English from Cambridge University 
00:30:21    Visited Scotland - stayed in youth hostels

1634B    
00:00:48    Girlfriend and Lucy went to London
00:02:41    Buckingham Palace
00:02:57    Went to Spain
00:03:13    Took Spanish grammar lessons
00:06:06    Lucy started to work for travel agency
00:06:24    Dutch Consulate
00:09:05    Went to Nice, Monaco, Naples & Livorno 
00:09:36    Returned home to Holland
00:09:45    Letter from sister in Orange County, California
00:10:24    Came to the United States in 1963
00:11:30    Went to work for a realtor & studied for Real Estate License
00:14:24    Learned to drive and bought first car
00:15:57    Got a job in Garden Grove, California
00:19:19    Met her husband to be Merlin Hanson and married in September 1964
00:20:54    Children born in 1966 and 1969 -  daughter, Cobi Jacoba & son, Erik
00:22:15    Living in Santa Ana, California
00:24:55    Started Fundamental School with group of parents in Santa Ana
00:25:11    Went for 2 years – board members were replaced – school was closed for 1 year
00:25:23    Reopened
00:26:55    Moved to Prescott in 1992
00:27:56    First morning sat on Plaza with coffee
00:28:21    Husband passed away in 1995 – lung cancer
00:30:37    Took volunteer class at Sharlot Hall Museum - has been volunteering for 27 years
00:32:01    Has done everything at Sharlot Hall Museum - gift shop, tours, Prescott Indian Art Market, Lawler Center
00:36:45    Museum is a very special place
00:37:30    “Getting old is not for sissies”
00:41:14    Tape and manuscript
00:41:42    End Of Interview