Brianne Haskell: How did you end up in Lyons?
Donna Palmer: I was born and raised out in the country, out where Richard Swenson lives and that was my grandparent’s place. I started country school and when I was in third grade we moved into town. Then we went to school here in Lyons from then on.

Have you seen a lot of change here in the community?
Yes! I used to know everyone and now for sure, I don’t. Main Street had so many businesses. There’s been lots of change.

So, were you here when the bowling alley was here?
Yes, before that. When we were here we had a skating rink down in the park right where the trailer parking lot is. We loved to go roller skating. In the wintertime, we would get our ice skates and go down to the lagoon and we’d ice skate if it was frozen enough. Sometimes I think Mother would’ve had a fit if she’d have seen us because if it wasn’t really frozen under the bridge we’d grab the rafter and go on it anyway. I’m not sure if she even knows that today! Then, of course, the swimming pool and there was a time when we had two theaters. It was lots of fun.

Was there any big world events that personally affected you or Lyons?
In 1940, we moved to California because my mother’s relatives all lived in California. We were over in San Francisco when they bombed Pearl Harbor. Coming back across the bridge they checked the car, the trunk, and all cars for Japanese people. It wasn’t very long and my parents moved back to Nebraska. That part I remember really well. Then we moved back out there in 1944 and at the time my grandpa had rented us a house. We had good times but I missed Nebraska so the folks moved back. We were out there like during Christmas and it didn’t even seem like Christmas, except for the religious part of it, but as far as how we have Christmas with the snow and everything.

What are some of your favorite memories in Lyons?
Well, all the people are always so friendly and nice and I just love Lyons. That’s one reason we moved back here because when Harold and I got out of high school, we got married in December and he went into the service. He was up in Wisconsin so we were there for a while and then we came back to Lyons. We worked on a farm near Uehling and then out east for Delbert Mickelson. Then Harold got with the telephone company and we went to Fremont, from Fremont to Omaha, and out to Papillion where both the kids graduated from Papillion High. After a while, Harold said “Well, I’d like to move back to Lyons,” and I said, “Well okay, we will.” So then we moved back again in ’81 and we have been here ever since!