Marty was interviewed by Andree Hurst in August 2024. In 1955, when he was five years old, he moved with his family to a home with a pear orchard in Lafayette. His memories of growing up here include exploring a large culvert that went under the newly-opened Highway 24 and being called home to dinner […]
Oral History: John D. (Johnny) Marchant — March 23, 2025
John D. (Johnny) Marchant was interviewed by Annie Lupardus on March 23, 2025. He is one of two adopted sons of Jack and Esther Marchant. His brother Donny was three months older, and the two of them shared many experiences together as they grew up and attended local schools. Their family first lived in a […]
Oral History: Marge Dubbs — May 9th, 2024
Summary: Marge Dubbs was interviewed by Andree Hurst on May 9, 2024. Now at age 100, Marge has spent just over half of her life as a Lafayette resident. Her husband was a mechanical and safety engineer who traveled for work most of the time. Marge worked also, but always locally. She made use of […]
Oral History: Chris Young – April, 2024
Summary: He was born in 1950 and was raised in Burton Valley. His parents founded and ran a coin-operated laundry and dry cleaning business on Golden Gate Way called Sunshine Cleaners. Chris worked in the business while he was growing up after his father taught him how to maintain and repair the equipment. The business […]
Oral History: Chuck Baumann – March, 2024
Summary: Chuck Baumann was interviewed by Andree Hurst in March, 2024. He came to Lafayette in 1955 at age 6 when his father relocated the family to this growing community to establish and run a company that built swimming pools. He discusses growing up in the community with great schools and social activities and he […]
Oral History: Tony Lagiss – November, 2004
Summary: Tony Lagiss was interviewed by Julie Sullivan in November, 2004. A Port Costa native, his career in the sale and development of Lafayette real estate started when he was 25, in 1946, when he bought twenty acres of “billie goat land” on Deer Hill Road near Pleasant Hill Road. Tony’s timing was good, as […]
Oral History: Sheldon Cook – July, 2005
Summary: Sheldon Cook was interviewed by Julie Sullivan in July, 2005. Dr. Cook set up his office in Lafayette and began to practice pediatrics in 1953. He practiced for the next 28 years, always making house calls–as many as 52 in one weekend. He says that people would recognize his car and request that he […]
Oral History: Anne Fiorentino Grodin – February, 2005
Summary: Anne Fiorentino Grodin was interviewed by Julie Sullivan in February, 2005. Anne describes how Lafayette grew and changed during the 50 years from 1955 to 2005. Along with other family members she helped operate Valley Disposal from 1979 to 1989, when the company was sold to Waste Management Inc. Soon afterwards she became active […]
Oral History: Jack Marchant – November, 1984
Summary: Jack Marchant was interviewed by Julie Sullivan in November, 1984. He grew up in Berkeley and went to Cal. In 1933 he became active as a homebuilder in Berkeley and Kensington. After service in World War II and being a teacher for a few years Jack resumed his homebuilding career in Lafayette, where he […]
Oral History: Bob Sherman – October, 2005
Summary: Bob Sherman was interviewed by Julie Sullivan in October, 2005. Bob taught and coached divers and swimmers for over 30 years at the Sherman Swim School, which he founded in 1961. He was also a physical education teacher in the Orinda School System. A champion diver himself, Bob trained divers at UC Berkeley as […]
