I met Wanda at a party. She was the sweetest, kindest lady I’ve ever met. Her heart is full of joy and happiness and she is fun to be around.

As I was struggling to find someone to interview I remembered her and immediately contacted her. At first I was scared to call her and ask if I could interview her. However, I knew she wouldn’t say no, so I called and asked if I could interview her for a school project and she said yes! Here is Wanda’s story.

Wanda Dyson grew up in a small town called Decatur, NE in Burt County. She was the youngest of three children and graduated from Decatur High School. While attending Decatur she was a cheerleader and made many friends and enjoyed her teachers.

After high school, Wanda worked as a telephone operator in Tekamah, NE. She then got married and moved to the farm where she would have three children. After her children were grown she moved to Lyons where she met her current husband, Donald Dyson. While living in Lyons, she worked at the HiWay Cafe, L&M clothing store, and the grocery store. She has been active in her church and enjoys social events and has made many new friends.

Baking has always been a favorite activity and Wanda is known as a great cook who can whip up a great meal in no time. Many times she has shown her love to her family and friends by cooking or baking, often on short notice. Whether it was working on the farm or for someone in need, she was always there, willing to bake or cook for them. Another way that Wanda shows her love is hugs. Every time you see her, she will give you hugs and when you leave she’ll give you another hug. Her favorite colors are pink and black.

Her husband Donald and she like to sit on their porch and enjoy watching the squirrels and hearing the birds singing. She was one of many people that survived the Great Depression, the worst economic depression in modern history. Her generation was way different from ours. They would save just about anything, and they would share what they had with others in need or exchanged for what they needed. She added that people living on the farm had food because they would grow their own garden and pick and can these products. However, the people living in the city didn’t have as much to eat.

Wanda has enjoyed traveling throughout the years. She has been to Canada, Mexico, Bahamas, and she has been all over the United States including Hawaii and Alaska. Yet, she considers her greatest accomplishment her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. At the time of this interview, her family consists of her husband, five children, sixteen grandchildren, and twelve great-grandchildren.