Salem History Matters

  • Welcome!
  • What's New on Our Blog?
    • EPISODE LIST
  • Spotlight on History
  • Links We Like
  • Contact Us



WE'VE GOT A LOT WE WANT TO SHARE!
 
​HOW ABOUT YOU?

Download A Podcast

Year in Review - Our New "Yesterday's Voices" Series

1/4/2018

 
PictureDeb & Christy - 2017
January 4, 2018 Episode.
​

As we enter into our fourth year of this broadcast adventure, Christy, Jim and I were reminiscing about the great opportunities we had in 2017 through our new Yesterday's Voices series to share the stories of some very wonderful folks who have lived in our area for many years.
 
2017 was the year Christy joined us as co-host and brought forth this idea to do a series of personal interviews with some of the "living legends" who helped shape the personality of our town and its environs. As you recall, Christy is an avid genealogist and loves to discover family connections through the years. She views history as it affects families, so she fits right in with our philosophy of making history meaningful in our contemporary lives.
 

Picture
Christy & Norma Hamilton Cochran, 2017
Picture
Christy & Patricia Zahare Ellis, 2017
Picture
Mary Kay & Stuart Compton, 2017
Picture
Wally & Gloria Carson, 2017
Picture
David Rhoten
Photographs are such an important avenue to bring history alive. We're going to revisit our conversations with these lovely folks and also provide a link to Blog Post of their episode if you'd like to revisit their stories.

Norma Hamilton Cochran is a spunky, energetic lady who shared her life as a young person in Salem--going to the Prom on the City Bus was one--and also her long career in nursing in Salem hospitals. Her Stump-Hamilton roots grow deep in Polk County and Salem, including a first nursing home/hospital and an undertaking business which grew into a long-time Salem furniture business.  

Speaking of spunk,  Patricia Zahare Ellis spent a summer during college living with another schoolgirl friend in rural Mexico. Pat also spoke about growing up in the very agricultural Hazelgreen area in north Salem, working hard on the family farm where she first realized her love of the Spanish language--a gift she parlayed into both a career and many opportunities to experience other cultures. 

Stuart and Mary Kay Compton are very humble folks who didn't think their story was very interesting, a common expression of all those we interviewed. However, we found their story is one of deep love and respect, commitment to family, and long service to the community. Both Stuart and Mary Kay's family have long ties to banking in the Northwest, especially the four generations of Compton leadership overseeing the Pioneer Trust Bank, which still continues today.

Wally and Gloria Carson were a delight to have in the studio. All our guests have connections through their growing up and making their lives in Salem. Wally spoke of his early memories of being involved with the Mickey Mouse Club, as did Norma Cochran. Wally, who would later become the Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court, shared wonderful stories about performing as a puppeteer with another guest, David Rhoten, when they were in junior high and producing musical reviews together in high school.  
​
David Rhoten, our first guest in this series, shepherded us through the year with his robust encouragement and ongoing suggestions for guests. This loving husband and father, practicing attorney, community organizer, musical producer and puppeteer shared so many stories of his childhood and school years, military career, and family life that we had to carry over his interview into a second episode. We lost David to cancer later in 2017, soon followed by his beloved wife, Coralie Doughton Rhoten. We cannot express how very thankful we are to have been able to share some of his treasured memories with all of you. 
We found over this year that the stories that our guests were too humble to share, whose lives they felt were not interesting enough to talk about, let alone record and play on the radio, were mesmerizing to those of us who came to Salem afterward. Most of our interviews spanned two episodes--either to share more stories or to focus on their long-time Salem businesses. This wealth of information and connectivity they shared with us is now documented in our archives, accessible for another generation. 

One unifying trait that we discovered with these guests was the importance of strong relationships in their lives--with their spouses, their families, friends, occupations, and their communities. Their circles of influence continue beyond them due to their commitment to nurture and maintain these relationships. Perhaps that is what defines the term "pioneer spirit"--a commitment to others to stick around, stick it out and strive to make it better, all the while embracing your special time here in history.  

We'll be sharing more wonderful stories of our local treasures--the people kind--in the coming year. Hope you'll join us again.


~~Posted by Deb Meaghers
Lynette Lasher
1/6/2018 09:39:32 pm

Thanks Deb for sharing, I want to watch these videos later and I have enjoyed reading your summations! Thanks again


Comments are closed.

    Your Hosts

    Deb Meaghers and Christy Van Heukelem, historians and authors, are passionate about the history of Salem and the entire mid-Willamette Valley.  We love sharing our enthusiasm for our rich historic legacy with others.  

    Picture
    Deb
    Picture
    Christy

      You Can Join in the Fun! 

    Subscribe to Blog

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015

Proudly powered by Weebly
Photo used under Creative Commons from Johnath