Oral History Interview with Herman Katheryn; Hellbusch Ron; Wurl Leon; 1975? WHS-044

KATHERYN HERMAN Katheryn and her family moved to Westminster in 1951 and she began working for the City of Westminster as a file clerk on a part-time basis. She was elected as Westminster City Clerk in 1953 and while elections are stressful for the candidate her children enjoyed election time as they got to make signs and were allowed to stay up late on election night. Later the position of Westminster City Clerk became an appointed position. During her time with the city she helped guide many City Managers Council members Mayors and citizens through the turbulent years of the City?s growth. She had the distinction of carrying the No. 1 badge for the Westminster Volunteer Fire Department and the No. 2 badge for the Westminster Police Department. The reason for the police badge was in case a woman had to be taken to Brighton to jail. The thought of having to do that was in-comprehensible to her as she couldn?t believe that ?those kinds of problems? happened in Westminster. Election Administrators form all over Colorado would call on her to help them with election rules. In addition to Katheryn was involved in the community and volunteered at Saint Anthony North Hospital and the Westminster Historical Society. She was always there to do what needed to be done with Jobs Daughters Bethel 18. She was a member of the Westminster Do-Ettes which is a community service group. Katheryn retired from the City of Westminster in 1975. RON HELLBUSCH Ron?s parents moved to Westminster in 1947. He graduated from Westminster High School and graduated from Hastings College in 1960. He began working for the City of Westminster in the summer of 1953 at age 15. His job was to mow lawns and take care of the park around City Hall which at that time was located on 73rd Avenue. It was not long before he was patching streets and hooking up water taps. He continued to work summers with the City and after he graduated from college he was hired on a full time basis. LEON WURL Leon came to Westminster in 1940 and began his career with the City of Westminster in 1951 serving as street and water superintendent building inspector and chief of Police. In 1952 he was the youngest Chief of Police in the State of Colorado at age 21. Leon served on the Westminster City Council and a program initiated by Leon and approved by the City Council to plant Hopa Crab trees along the city?s right of ways to beautify the city.