Abstract
Oral history interview with Kathleen Cortez, Delores "Dee" Gammell, Kelli Hansen, and Sallie Samis conducted by Jerwin Tiu and Stefani Evans on January 26, 2024 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, three sisters of seven siblings, Delores "Dee" Gammell, Sallie Samis, and Kathleen "Kathy" Cortez, describe their beginnings in early Las Vegas alongside Dee's daughter, Kelli Hansen. This six generation family of Las Vegas natives trace their roots to Mexico and Delores, Sallie, and Kathleen all recall their childhood spent with family. Each sister eventually ended up leaving Las Vegas. However, each sister ended up returning to Las Vegas and settling in the city where they grew up. While they have their qualms about the city and it is different from when they were growing up, they savor the time they are able to enjoy as a family in the place where they all started.
Finding Aid PDF
Date
Extent
Related People/Corporations
Scope and Contents Note
Oral history interview with Kathleen Cortez, Delores "Dee" Gammell, Kelli Hansen, and Sallie Samis conducted by Jerwin Tiu and Stefani Evans on January 26, 2024 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, three sisters of seven siblings, Delores "Dee" Gammell, Sallie Samis, and Kathleen "Kathy" Cortez, describe their beginnings in early Las Vegas alongside Dee's daughter, Kelli Hansen. This six generation family of Las Vegas natives trace their roots to Mexico and Delores, Sallie, and Kathleen all recall their childhood spent with family.
Each sister eventually ended up leaving Las Vegas. Kathleen moved to California, where she eventually learned how to cook foods that trace back to her Mexican heritage. Sallie moved to San Jose, California with her husband Pete Samis. And Delores Gammell moved to Montana after retiring from a long career in the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. However, each sister ended up returning to Las Vegas and settling in the city where they grew up. While they have their qualms about the city and it is different from when they were growing up, they savor the time they are able to enjoy as a family in the place where they all started. Delores had two children, one of which, Kelli Hansen, lives in Las Vegas, with her husband and daughter. She secured a job at an attorney's office and continued a long career as a legal secretary in the City Attorney's office. Digital audio available; no transcript available.
Access Note
Collection is open for research. Where use copies do not exist, production of use copies is required before access will be granted; this may delay research requests. Advanced notice is required.
Publication Rights
Materials in this collection may be protected by copyrights and other rights. See Reproductions and Use on the UNLV Special Collections and Archives website for more information about reproductions and permissions to publish.
Preferred Citation
Kathleen Cortez, Delores Gammell, Kelli Hansen, and Sallie Samis oral history interview, 2024 January 26. OH-03917. [Cite format consulted: Audio recording or Transcript.] Oral History Research Center, Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada. http://n2t.net/ark:/62930/f1vn4x
Permalink
Acquisition Note
This interview was conducted and transcribed by the Oral History Research Center (OHRC) which is part of the UNLV University Libraries Special Collections and Archives Division.
Processing Note
Interview materials were processed by UNLV Libraries Special Collections and Archives in wrote the 2024. Sarah Jones wrote the collection description. Access copies were created for born-digital audio files. The audio has been minimally reviewed and all readily available information has been included in the description.