Oral history interview with Gary Sternberg, Joe Lupo, and Ed Birch conducted by Barbara Tabach on August 21, 2017 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, Lupo and Birch discuss their upbringing in Las Vegas, Nevada. Sternberg discusses his early life and arriving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1969. Sternberg and Birch talk about the gaming industry, becoming casino dealers, and changes in customer service in Las Vegas. Lupo describes the airline industry during the 1970s, and the growth of McCarran International Airport. Lastly, Sternberg, Lupo, and Birch discuss changes in Las Vegas.
Oral history interview with Valma Alvarez von Holt conducted by Claytee D. White on February 06, 2018 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. In this interview, von Holt discusses her early life and arriving to Pahrump, Nevada in 1994. She talks about her interest in amateur radio, raising horses, and purchasing forty acres of land. Von Holt recalls building a farm and her involvement in launching a local women’s group. Lastly, von Holt discusses the role women had during World War II and radio broadcasting during that time.
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
Celia Strauss describes her family history in Poland and fleeing the Nazis, narrowly escaping being captured or shot several times. She and her family came to the United States in 1947.