Today is a departure from the usual blog folderol to thank someone special- Nancy Barker. Without her patronage and cooperation, this blog would not exist. Let me explain.
I knew Nancy as a boy, originally back in the late 1960's when her husband, Dan was my scoutmaster. She was simply Mrs. Barker to me then. I reacquainted myself with her some 40 years later in 2010 when she was president of the Menasha Historical Society. I was restless and wanted to do something related to history, but I wasn't sure exactly what. I had dabbled in various writing projects and when I visited the society in August 2010, the answer hit me like a ton of bricks. During our visit, she had received a phone call from someone cancelling a meeting she was scheduled to have concerning fundraising for the society. At that moment, it came to me- what if I helped produce a book about Menasha that could be used as a fundraiser for the society? After some explaining she agreed, provided I could convince the rest of the society of my intentions. It wasn't as easy as I had pictured- they must have thought...who is this interloper who breezed into town and now wants access to the society's files and photo collections? Why, it was like Professor Harold Hill in the movie, The Music Man, trying to sell the River City citizens on the idea of a local brass band! But over time, I was able to gain the society's confidence and the rest, as they say, is history, no pun intended. In advance of the book's publication, I devised this blog to help promote it and feature photos that didn't make the cut for publication in the book.
The book was published in June, 2012 and has been sold by the society ever since. Nancy promoted the book on her appearances on WHBY radio and came out to the Menasha library to support me when I did a presentation upon the book's publication. She even brought cookies. I will always be grateful to her for having the confidence in me when I needed it most. She was a tireless promoter of the book, an enthusiastic cheerleader when the going got rough, and a faithful champion of my efforts. My mere thanks cannot convey the gratitude I feel for all that she did for me.
Nancy was a force to be reckoned with in Menasha. She was many things- a wife, a mother, a local alderperson, a Winnebago County Supervisor. Heck, she was even a bridgetender! She will be laid to rest today in Menasha, her lifelong home and the place for which she was a stalwart champion. My only regret is that I cannot attend, but I will be there very much in spirit. Thank you, Nancy, so much.
In 2015, she sat for this photograph to help promote reading at the library. I was so honored and delighted to see her posing with our book.
I knew Nancy as a boy, originally back in the late 1960's when her husband, Dan was my scoutmaster. She was simply Mrs. Barker to me then. I reacquainted myself with her some 40 years later in 2010 when she was president of the Menasha Historical Society. I was restless and wanted to do something related to history, but I wasn't sure exactly what. I had dabbled in various writing projects and when I visited the society in August 2010, the answer hit me like a ton of bricks. During our visit, she had received a phone call from someone cancelling a meeting she was scheduled to have concerning fundraising for the society. At that moment, it came to me- what if I helped produce a book about Menasha that could be used as a fundraiser for the society? After some explaining she agreed, provided I could convince the rest of the society of my intentions. It wasn't as easy as I had pictured- they must have thought...who is this interloper who breezed into town and now wants access to the society's files and photo collections? Why, it was like Professor Harold Hill in the movie, The Music Man, trying to sell the River City citizens on the idea of a local brass band! But over time, I was able to gain the society's confidence and the rest, as they say, is history, no pun intended. In advance of the book's publication, I devised this blog to help promote it and feature photos that didn't make the cut for publication in the book.
The book was published in June, 2012 and has been sold by the society ever since. Nancy promoted the book on her appearances on WHBY radio and came out to the Menasha library to support me when I did a presentation upon the book's publication. She even brought cookies. I will always be grateful to her for having the confidence in me when I needed it most. She was a tireless promoter of the book, an enthusiastic cheerleader when the going got rough, and a faithful champion of my efforts. My mere thanks cannot convey the gratitude I feel for all that she did for me.
Nancy was a force to be reckoned with in Menasha. She was many things- a wife, a mother, a local alderperson, a Winnebago County Supervisor. Heck, she was even a bridgetender! She will be laid to rest today in Menasha, her lifelong home and the place for which she was a stalwart champion. My only regret is that I cannot attend, but I will be there very much in spirit. Thank you, Nancy, so much.
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