Lucy Kortum’s Contributions Acknowledged in the Congressional Record
(All Videos Courtesy of Kaye Chandler)

More Videos Featuring Lucy:

Interview with Lucy:
https://vimeo.com/294950226

Carnegie Museum Grand opening  ceremony honoring Lucy Kortum  October 6, 2018
https://vimeo.com/294949041

Obituary

Lucy Kortum
August 8, 1928 – November 30, 2022

Lucy Kortum, a historian who championed the importance of local and statewide architectural preservation, died on November 30, 2022, at her home in Petaluma. She was born on August 8, 1928, in Coronado, California, where her father was stationed as a Naval aviator. She had vivid memories from the years before and during World War II, when her mother, driving alone, took her and her brother on numerous cross-country journeys between naval bases to catch up with her father’s frequent redeployments.

She attended Pomona College after the war and then moved to San Francisco with some of her college classmates. After working in San Francisco for a few years, she married Bill Kortum in 1953. In the ensuing years Bill and Lucy became effective advocates for environmental protection on issues such as the battle to save Bodega Head from a nuclear power plant in the early 1960s and the prolonged effort (beginning in the late 1960s) to preserve access to the California coastline and to save it from overdevelopment. Beyond her activity as an environmentalist, she was independently known for her work in architectural preservation, both locally and throughout California. In 1990 she completed a thesis for a master’s degree in history at Sonoma State University. Entitled “Carnegie Library Development in California and the Architecture it Produced, 1899-1921,” the thesis resulted in the addition of ten California Carnegie libraries to the National Register of Historic Places, and still sets the standard by which libraries achieve such designation. Her efforts also resulted in the addition to the National Register of the Petaluma Silk Mill (built in 1892 near the Lakeville Highway and what is now Sunset Park), saving this significant structure from demolition and leading most recently to its repurposed preservation as a hotel which has been in operation since 2018.

Lucy and Bill found the life of activism that they shared to be invigorating and stimulating. For example, when the California Coastal Trail Association recognized Lucy in 2018 as one of the women responsible for protecting the California coastline, she said that the work “was not only inspiring and important, but it was fun.” Indeed, her sense of fun (along with her optimism and enthusiasm) was a primary reason that so many friends looked forward to visiting Lucy and Bill at the home they built in rural Petaluma, eager to discuss anything from travel, food, books and winemaking to state and local politics and environmental issues. Late in life, the topic could even turn to her beloved Golden State Warriors. Her interests also extended to what was happening in the lives of her family and friends, who fondly recall profound one-on-one conversations-free of any political or environmental agenda-where her active engagement and meaningful questions often helped them to better understand themselves. Those who knew her appreciated her kindness, her recognition of the importance of fairness, and her ability to put disputes and irritations into perspective.

She also maintained a close connection with Sonoma State University. In addition to earning a master’s degree there she was one of the first employees of the SSU Nursing Department and worked there for several years as the program grew in stature. In addition, the Sonoma County Historical Society recognized her achievements in the field of historic preservation and research by awarding her the Jeanne Thurlow Miller Individual Award in 2005. The next year, she was named Petaluma’s “Good Egg,” an acknowledgment of her volunteer work for the Petaluma Historical Library and Museum. Until recently, she served as a board member of the Petaluma Historical Society and Friends of the Petaluma Library. Her fellow historians informally recognized her accomplishments by occasionally referring to Bill Kortum as “Lucy Kortum’s husband.”

Bill died in 2014. Lucy is survived by her children (Frank (Ellin Kavanagh) of Glendale, California, Julie Groves (Barry) of Los Gatos, California, and Sam (Hyun Ja Shin) of New Haven, Connecticut), and five grandchildren.
A memorial service is planned for a later date. In the meantime, the family suggests that contributions be made to Sonoma County Conservation Action and/or Coastwalk California.

Published by Press Democrat from Dec. 4 to Dec. 9, 2022.