Edward M. Hansen

In Memoriam Edward M. Hansen Aug. 12, 1926 Oct. 20, 2009 Resident of Oakland Eddie was born in Oakland, California, and lived his entire life there. After graduating from Oakland High School in 1944 he was drafted into the Navy and was stationed in Saipan, the Marshall Islands, Gilbert island, and Guam during WW II where he helped build and maintain buildings. Eddie got his first job at age 16 as a doorman at the Grand Lake Theatre in Oakland. This was the beginning of a 50+ year career at the Grand Lake. In the old days the Grand Lake was a combination live-act and movie theatre and Eddie worked floodlights, pulled curtains, and set up props for vaudeville acts. Ultimately, as theatres transitioned to showing only movies he became a stagehand, becoming a long time member of the local stagehand union, and working at numerous theatres in the San Francisco Bay Area. Eddie's other vocation was as a conductor, motorman, and driver on streetcars and buses for a number of transportation systems throughout the Bay Area to include Peerless Stage Line and the Key System. His love of streetcars and trains led Eddie and some close friends to establish the Bay Area Electric Railroad Association which operates the Western Railway Museum at Rio Vista Junction. He volunteered many hours as a conductor, operator, and docent at the museum. Upon retirement he volunteered for the San Francisco Muni at its Market Street Railway where he helped rebuild, restore, and maintain the vintage streetcars from all around the world. Eddie was an amateur historian on Bay Area streetcars, buses, and theatres. He could name all the theatres that were ever in the Bay Area and all the Key System streetcars and their routes. Eddie loved life and celebrated it every day of his life. He always had a smile on his face and a kind word for everyone. He was good-natured and had a hearty laugh that vibrated merrily. Humorous stories from his street car and bus driving experiences were his forte and one of his favorite stories garnered him the nickname of "Stop the Bus Eddie." He loved music and performed on the drums for a number of bands at lounges in the East Bay. Donations in Eddie's memory should be made to the Western Railway Museum, 5848 State Hwy 12, Suisun City, Ca. 94585.