Woodworking skill part of Dick Hancock
“His work took him around the world” — Dick Hancock, son of Art and Pauline, graduated from Colonel Crawford and went on to technical college for engineering and drafting in Columbus.
Afterward, he worked for 20 years in Mansfield at Peabody Barnes. He started in engineering and was later promoted to government sales and administration.
Dick was also in export sales traveling around the world to England, Germany, Far East, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, Middle East, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordon, Caribbean, South and Central America.
He said that, when he was in the Philippines, he saw where all the American soldiers were buried, and it was emotional. Dick took on a quieter life when he was 40 and began selling insurance and investment planner for Lutheran Brotherhood. His last career move was to the United Bank as investment adviser and financial planner until his retirement in 2012.
Dick became interested in woodworking when he was in high school. He built a pool table, cherry desk and hope chest for Wanda Inscho before they married one year after school. Dick remarked “Industrial Arts was the only class he got A’s.” Wanda was starting college to be an elementary and middle school teacher after they married. Her career was in teaching and she retired from Colonel Crawford in 2008.
They have a daughter, Shannon, and three grandchildren, Mykala, David and Chris. Dick went into woodworking when he was 35, working with Bob Schifer, and going to craft shows with him.
Bob Schifer was his “mentor and inspiration” to advance Dick in this profession. He first started shows with Bob, and it was all small items but, through the years, evolved into larger furniture pieces.
About that time, Dick started a woodworking shop in the basement of his home. They talked to Joan Lipscomb, who was an inspiration, explaining her “open house” at her home.
That fall, filled with ideas, Dick and Wanda transformed their home into a little boutique for a weekend. They started with woodworking items and furniture, and it grew to include other artists and crafters — first one room and then into the entire house. Somewhere along the line, Dick did art and craft shows with Lennie Holdcraft, which continues for 18 years.
Twelve years ago, they were motivated to build a real woodworking shop in the backyard of their home on Stetzer Road. Then, in 2012, the Hancock’s built the “Cabin at Willow Hollow” that showcases Dick’s woodworking. He creates fine, handcrafted hardwood furniture and accessories in Shaker, rustic and contemporary designs. The trend in furniture these days is furniture with character, meaning people like repurposing barnwood into usable furniture items in the home.
The trend now is for “live edge furniture,” leaving the outside of the tree’s bark on the edge. He uses old treadle sewing machine bases adding unique tabletops with live edge lumber. Up to 13 companies made these treadle machines, and everybody had one before department stores carried ready-made.
Dick has no trouble finding them at auctions and stored “here and there.”
The Hancocks participate in many art and craft shows throughout the state. Re-enactment shows tie into the story, as certain shows require dress in period costume. They travel as far as Bedford, Pennsylvania, for their Fall Foliage Fest in October, where they sell mostly woodworking or hardwood furniture.
“The Cabin” on 5183 Stetzer Road is open March until Christmas, mainly Thursday through Saturday until the fall, and then it is open four to five days a week. They invite other artisans and craftsmen so they can find “their voices” with creative expression to bring their handmade items.
Wanda was very happy for the new cabin and the open house outside their family home.
The 22 years of the November open house have all kinds of memories, bad weather, shoveling snow off the drive, people getting stuck in yard, and the driveway coated with solid mud. But for the most part, they have fond memories.
Dick and Wanda have a continued interest in woodworking and crafts, art galleries, craft stores. They learn how other people set up their shops and artwork inside them.
The Crawford Council Arts Council is a new adventure. Dick has been on their board for two years, and he is excited to see it grow. One of their “mission statement dreams” is to set up a gallery in Bucyrus.
Dick enjoys people, and that is why he liked his work at the bank. His job of helping people with financial planning was special to him. Now, he is still interacting with people today as they come in to shop.
If you are interested in genealogy or sharing a story email or write Crawford County Genealogy Society, 931 Marion Road, Bucyrus, OH 44820 Mary Fox email Littlefoxfactory@columbus.rr.com.