Author of Aging in Place
by Jan Cox
At 92 years of age, Nancy Lund amazes many for her longevity, her quick brain and her lifetime drive to stand up for personal rights of women, the poor, the aging, and for the right to be herself.
Currently, Nancy is the Chair of Plumas County Commission on Aging. The 20 member commission keeps up on current legislation and acts as a watchdog for people’s rights.
Lund was an elected Senior Senator from 1984-92, representing five northern California counties in the Senior Legislature. This group is a mirror image of the regular legislature, acting as their eyes and ears concerning senior issues. She especially enjoyed the annual four-day sessions in Sacramento, where proposals were made, hopefully to be picked up by one of the legislators and enacted into law. Some of the Senior proposals were passed by both houses of the legislature and signed by the governor-including two authored by Lund.
With her usual sense of humor, she told a story about walking the halls of the capital with her husband who was impressed that everyone knew her name. Pointing down to her chest she said, ” Sure they do, I have on a name tag.”
Nancy Lund grew up in El Paso, and attended two years of college in Texas before the family moved to Los Angeles. She had one semester at UCLA, always meaning to return, but never did. Nancy became a draftsperson before women were accepted in the trade. She received her training during World War II and was able to use that in several capacities before and after coming to Plumas County.
Nancy and her husband, Dick, discovered this area while camping and decided to retire here, doing so in 1975. Since moving to Greenville, Nancy has designed many homes for both locals and newcomers. She was aged 90 when she completed her last home and continues to enjoy taking visitors to see some of the homes she has designed.
Nancy and Dick raised 3 children, one of whom she now lives with in Greenville after her husband’s death. She remains close to her 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Today, aside from her interest in local issues, she is active in the Plumas County League of Women Voters and belongs to a local book club and writer’s group who are encouraging her to complete her memoir. She also writes the “Aging in Place” column for this magazine.
When asked how she has stayed so lively right into her 90’s, Nancy replied that she hates fried foods, eats lots of fruit and vegetables, has always been a walker and keeps her brain strong through reading well written fiction and non-fiction. She also comes from a family with great longevity! Be sure and watch for her articles in Aging in Place in future issues of this magazine.
Nancy Lund
Nancy Lund
Nancy Lund at home in Greenville
