Emilia Pacheco, in her 80s, is shown here cuddling her grand daughter, Amber Sanchez, under the giant old fig tree whose branches have been trained to lie over sprawling trellis. The trellis was constructed over many years by her brother, Antonio, during his annual visits from Mexico. Emilia, a widow and mother of five surviving children, was born in Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico. While visiting family in Los Angeles, California, she met her future husband, Francisco. In 1940, the Pacheco's moved to Las Vegas where Francisco worked as a cement finisher, a trade he practiced well into his 80s. Today, Emilia gardens a bit but spends most of her time cooking Mexican meals and relaxing with her children, grand children, and great grand children.

Donna Newsom shares the history of her life in great detail, beginning with her childhood in Georgia and Florida. The family moved many times, following her father's work opportunities. Donna had a close relationship with her father and recalls the many daring adventures on which he took her. After graduating from high school, Donna earned a nursing degree at the Macon Hospital School of Nursing. She remembers dorm life, long hours, and the specific training nurses received in the late forties. Her career began at age 19 with a year of working at Macon Hospital as a graduate nurse, and then she made plans to leave the South. Donna's memories include moving to Houston, living in a boarding house, her first date, and working at Hermann Hospital and then Methodist Hospital. She then answered an ad to work at a Girl Scout camp in Colorado, and her roommate there became a mentor and one of her staunchest supporters. With help from her mentor, Donna went on to earn a teaching degree in Austin, Texas, met and married her husband Sam Newsom, and got involved in real estate. She relates the many experiences they had during Sam's Navy career, her teaching experience in New Orleans, and their eventual move to Las Vegas. Sam and Donna loved Las Vegas from the moment they moved here. She recalls many details of her employment at UMC, the differences in health care compared to down south, and the feeling of being safe no matter the time of day or night. Donna stays active in tutoring, the OLLI program at UNLV, and working for the Salvation Army women's auxiliary. She and Sam also get together with his golfing buddies and their wives for dinners in their various homes.