Summary: Mary-Louise and her son Timothy Lynch, Jr. were interviewed by Andree Hurst on October 25, 2022. Mary-Louise and her husband Timothy John Lynch, Sr. built a house in Lafayette in 1953 and raised 7 children, one of whom is Tim. Her husband worked as a liquor wholesaler supplying local restaurants like Petar’s and the […]
Oral History: Hirsh Morton – April, 2006
Summary: Hirsh Morton was interviewed by Julie Sullivan in April, 2006. Hirsh came to Lafayette in 1952 as the designer for well-known builder Jack Marchant. Later he operated an architectural firm in partnership with Frank Essert. Hirsh served on the city planning commission, and he also sought out opportunities to contribute his services to public […]
Oral History: Sallie Gavey Rasmussen – July, 2008
Summary: Sallie Gavey Rasmussen was interviewed by Julie Sullivan in July, 2008. Her father, Warren Gavey, operated an auto body shop at 3442 Mt. Diablo Boulevard from 1946 to 1965, on a lot which contained both their home and the auto repair business. Sallie remembers what it was like to grow up and go through […]
Oral History: Jim Shierry – November, 2004
Summary: Jim Shierry was interviewed by Julie Sullivan in November, 2004. Jim learned the clothing business at an early age by working alongside his father, who was a manufacturer’s rep. After serving in the Army Air Corps during the Second World War he decided to open his own clothing store, Shierry Men’s Apparel, in La […]
Oral History: Vic Pagliero – September, 2005
Summary: Vic Pagaierò was interviewed by Julie Sullivan in September 2005. He was born in Oakland in 1923. At age 13 he moved to Moraga and began a long career as a ranch hand and farmer. He married Ruby in 1949, and that year he also went to work operating a rototiller for landowners in […]
Oral History: Joe Campana – November, 2004
Summary: Joe Campana was interviewed by Julie Sullivan in November, 2004. He owned and ran Campana Music for 57 years. Born in 1920, Joe served in Europe and Africa in World War II and came back to Lafayette determined to own his own business. He had learned how to play the accordion as a boy […]
Oral History: Lou Repetto – August, 2004
Summary: Lou Repetto was interviewed by Julie Sullivan in August, 2004. A San Francisco native, he decided to settle in this area after serving in World War I and he co-founded the Lafayette Garbage Disposal Service company. Lou discovered that becoming active in the local Lions Club was a good way to build his business […]
Oral History: Ned Robinson – October, 2005
Summary: Ned Robinson was interviewed by Julie Sullivan in October, 2005. He was the Fourth mayor of the City of Lafayette and served on the City Council for many years. His proposal for a city government that was limited to “the three P’s: good planning, police protection, and public works,” and therefore would not require […]
Oral History: Gloria Duffy – August 1st, 2009
The two Gloria Duffy’s, mother and daughter, were interviewed by Robin Fox on August 1st, 2009. Both interviewees said that libraries were very important to them as they grew up. Each of them found that from an early age libraries had helped them to learn about the world and prepare them for world travel later […]
Oral History: Ted & Linda Murphey – November, 1976
Summary: Ted and Linda Murphey were interviewed in November, 1976. They had operated Murphey’s Valley Prescription Pharmacy on a site near the present-day Wells Fargo Bank from 1947 to 1964. Twelve years later they described for their interviewer the other principle businesses–mostly restaurants and gas stations–that existed on Mount Diablo Boulevard at that time. Oral […]
