Nany Evans oral history.indd - Washington Secretary of State

dog, “Peggy! Peggy! Come here, Peggy! Peggy!!” And Peggy was just — she was free. Of
course, no dog could handle her, she was so big. No male dog around in the neighborhood.
And there I was, furious, uncomfortable and chasing her around. And she wouldn’t behave.
And off the freeway came my husband and (his State Patrol aide) Bill Lathrop, who was
driving. It was on a weekend, Sunday afternoon I think. Dan saw me and rolled down the
window and waved. And they right went on. And I was so mad at him! When he came
strolling in, I said, “Didn’t you see the turmoil I had out there?”
Hughes: That’s just too good to be true.
Evans: There was no dignity! Me pregnant chasing the dog in heat.
Hughes: Where was your mother?
Evans: Well, she might have been someplace. I don’t know where mother was or where
the boys were, I have no idea.
Hughes: How old was mom at this time? She might have helped you chase Peggy.
Evans: She lived to 94. (Editor’s Note: Lilith J. Bell died in 1987.)
Hughes: Was grandma there at the Mansion for the full 12 years Dan was governor?
Evans: Yes, and then at Evergreen when he was college president, the full six or seven
years.
Hughes: That’s a lovely story about the role reversal and the boys taking care of “Gom.”
I forgot that the job of being president of The Evergreen State College came with a house
as well. I always liked Mike Lowry’s line when he greeted editors and publishers at the
Mansion, “We’re enjoying public housing.”
Evans: That’s what we used to always joke about. We always live in “public housing”
wherever we go.
Hughes: In the Governor’s Mansion, is the master bedroom something special? Is there
any special bedroom like the Lincoln Bedroom at the White House or fascinating lore
associated with a particular room?
Evans: Well, the bedroom we had is not the Governor’s Bedroom now. It’s all been redone
since we were there. I think of the new Governor’s Bedroom that we enjoyed for a year.
Hughes: What a gyp! You did all that work, then you moved out.
70