Interviewed by Laurents Bañuelos-Benitez. John Pacheco's father, Francisco, arrived in Las Vegas in 1942. John was born in 1947 and raised mostly on 27th Street. He is a graduate of Rancho High School and UNLV. He is a retired artist known for hand-painting signage for many local businesses. As a very civic minded person, John has received many local awards and served on committees for the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, East Las Vegas community, and much more.
On March 2, 1980, Dennis Hunt interviewed his mother, Catherine Hunt (born August 25, 1932 in Palmyra, Missouri) about her life in Southern Nevada. The two discuss Catherine Hunt’s work as a secretary before becoming a housewife. The interview concludes with Catherine Hunt’s thoughts on population growth, women’s rights, and the Equal Rights Amendment.
From the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas, OH-01017. On February 26, 1980, collector Steven McKenzy interviewed Clark County Community College coordinator of rehabilitation, Autumn Keyes Ita (born December 8th, 1936 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti) at the Clark County Community College. This interview offers a personal historical account on home and family life in Las Vegas, Nevada. Autumn also discusses entertainers such as Wayne Newton and Sammy Davis, Jr., and the role that entertainment played in the development of Southern Nevada.
Bruce Layne came to Las Vegas in March of 1955 when he was 10 years of age. He attended High school at Bishop Gorman and college at the University of Nevada Las Vegas where he received a B.S. in Economics. In college, he played baseball for three years and was named All Conference Player in 1966. Growing up in Las Vegas, two of his closest long time friends are Governor Bob Miller and Tito Tiberti. Bruce later went on to become the President of Layne & Associates Insurance which was the largest Insurance Agency in Nevada. Bruce tells fabulous stories of his 40-year experience in the Las Vegas community. When he first arrived there were only about 25,000 people living here. Since then, Bruce has been witness to the enormous growth the city has undergone. Throughout the interview, he discusses his book, My Gift, which he wrote after he discovered he had Parkinson's disease in 1999. The book contains valuable advice on life and it has touched the lives of many people who have read it. Today Bruce Layne is relentlessly fighting his battle with Parkinson's disease both for himself and for thousands of others. He continues to have a positive attitude and is supported by his wife, Sherry Layne, and his two sons, Chad and Trevor. VI
On March 6, 1981, Mark Milford interviewed Owen Earl Cox (born 1909 in Bunkerville, Nevada) about his experiences growing up in and working in Nevada. Cox first talks about his early moves to and from Nevada and his work in road construction in the 1930s. He then discusses his work of machinery at the Basic Magnesium Plant and some of his experiences during that time. Cox also talks about his family, the Mormon Church, the growth of population, and the increase in tourism. He later describes managing a store he owned known as Vegas Village and the types and prices of the products that were sold there. The end of the interview involves a discussion of crime, Cox’s hobby of cattle ranching, and his views on the growth of Las Vegas.
On November 15, 1974, James M. Greene interviewed Ruth Dieleman (born 1908 in Searchlight, Nevada) and her husband Jake Dieleman (born 1904 in Axel, Netherlands) about their lives in Southern Nevada. Ruth first talks about her life in Searchlight while growing up, her experience as an educator, and her various residences in Southern Nevada. Jake first talks about his immigration into the United States and his eventual move to Nevada to get into construction rigging for the building of Hoover Dam. He discusses his work as a rigger in detail but also discusses his work on various Las Vegas casinos as well as his work in the state legislature.
On March 21, 1977, Christopher Moran interviewed Alice Doolittle (born 1897 in Boston, Massachusetts) about her experiences while living in Nevada. Also present during the interview is Ruth Belding, Alice’s daughter. Doolittle first talks about her reasons for coming to Las Vegas and her eventual occupation as a dental assistant. She also talks about her family’s history of living on the Stewart Ranch and the ranch’s swimming pool that attracted many during the summers of Las Vegas. Doolittle also describes her move to Boulder City with her husband, the first theaters in Las Vegas, and the Union Pacific Railroad. At the end of the interview, the three discuss Helen Stewart, Harley Harmon, and the Doolittle Center, named after Doolittle’s late husband, Ferris Doolittle.
On March, 14, 1981, collector Diane Donavan interviewed her neighbor, pharmacist Wayne Earl (born June 21, 1926 in St. George, Utah) at the collector’s home in Las Vegas, Nevada. This interview covers Earl’s early recollections of Nevada and his life after moving to Las Vegas in 1940. Earl also talks about World War II, McCarran Airport, Nellis Air Force Base, North Las Vegas politics, Jaycees, and the Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, Earl recalls his involvement in civic affairs, social and religious activities, including his affiliation with the Mormon Church.
Pat Marchese grew up in Johnston, Pennsylvania, and Lamar was reared in Tampa, Florida. Pat was raised on a farm surrounded by relatives. Lamar takes pride in his mother heritage, which can be traced to Tampa Bay, Florida, in the early 1840's. Pat and Lamar graduated from the University of South Florida and relocated to Las Vegas in 1972. Pat's remarkable 30-plus year passion includes working for the city of Las Vegas and Clark County, Nevada. She created numerous art and cultural programs which consist of the Civic Symphony, Charleston Heights Arts Center, Rainbow Company Theatre, along with consulting work for the Allied Arts Council. In addition, to her creating art and cultural agendas, she became a budget analyst and chief lobbyists for the county, testifying before the Senate Taxation Committee. She implemented through the public arts program, a Mural Arts Series, the Parks and Recreation Cultural Division, and culture on the Strip. Pat executed the grant that ensured the necessary funding for the expansion for public broadcasting radio stations throughout California, Utah, Arizona and Nevada. She's certainly worthy of her title "Queen of Las Vegas Culture". Lamar's amazing 30-plus year's calling comprises putting into action an abundant number of libraries programs for the State of Nevada along with establishing the first public broadcast radio station in Nevada. His library accomplishments include merging the City's libraries branches, library programs, shows, concerts, unification of academic libraries and public libraries and the first reciprocal borrowing agreement for the State of Nevada with the Nevada library card. He consolidated Las Vegas Libraries and the Las Vegas Clark County Library District. He also sold bonds for the development of future libraries. Lamar's broadcasting achievements consist of incorporating the Nevada Public Radio Corporation with State of Nevada, serving as Chairman of the board for NPRC, constructing broadcasting translators and radio stations throughout the tri-state and enveloping the State of Nevada through public broadcasting. Combined, Pat and Lamar Marchese have served the Las Vegas community for over six decades. Thanks to the Marcheses, broadcasting is thriving throughout the tri-state area, libraries are blossoming and cultural programs are flourishing. They are looking forward to retiring, traveling, spending time with loved ones, and most of all, Pat and Lamar time together.
Flo Mlynarczyk began life in Fort Morgan, Colorado. Her parents divorced and she moved with her mother first to Loveland and eventually to Los Angeles. Her mother started the first Red Cross in Bell Gardens, oversaw the building of their home, and raised money for various charities. Flo remembers when the Japanese were rounded up and interred during WWII. She was in grade school and recalls that one day they all just disappeared. Upon graduation from high school in 1943, Flo moved to Kodiak, Alaska, to live with friends. She recalls total blackouts on the streets of Kodiak due to the war, the Short Snorter Club, and her return to California after a bout of pneumonia. Back in Bell Gardens, Flo worked for a department store, married and divorced in 1945, gave birth to her son Michael in 1946, and ended up in Tonopah, Nevada, with a sister who ran a cafe there. After a second marriage ended, Flo moved to Las Vegas and began working at Phelps Pump and Equipment as a bookkeeper.