Donald Schmechel Oral History Collection

K. Alvin Merendino Interview, 1988

Alvin Merendino (1914-2011) was a noted thoracic surgeon, known for his innovative contributions to surgical techniques. Merendino was born in Clarksburg, West Virginia and attended Ohio University, Yale and the University of Minnesota to receive his undergraduate, M.D. and Ph.D. During his time in Minnesota, he worked as a research Assistant to Dr. Owen H. Wangensteen in the Experimental Surgery Laboratory. He came to Seattle in 1949 and joined the University of Washington as a professor of surgery. In 1950 he became directory of UW’s Experimental Surgical Laboratory where he remained until 1972. During his time he also became professor of surgery and chair of the Department of Surgery. 1956 Merendino became the first person on the West Coast to perform open heart surgery. His wife, Shirley, was a nurse to whom he attributed much of his career success. Together the couple had five children. In 1976, Merendino took a leave of absence from UW to take on responsibilities at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh where he soon became director of medical affairs and during a later stay, directory of the Cancer Therapy Institute and the King Faisal Medical City. He was also active in the medical community, serving as a member of the National Board of Medical Examiners and as chair of the American Board of Surgery. In 2002 Merendino and his wife, Shirley, established the Merendino Endowed Fellowship at the University of Washington to support talented and impactful surgeons.

Identifier: spl_ds_amerendino_01

Date: 1988-04-14; 1988-05-12

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Fred Haley Interview, May 2, 1986

Fred T. Haley (1912-2005) was the president of Brown & Haley, the confectionary company founded by his father in 1912 that became well known for manufacturing Almond Roca. Haley was heavily involved in civil rights and education issues in Tacoma and nationwide. He served on the Tacoma School Board from 1954 to 1965 and worked for school desegregation and increasing diversity among the faculty. He was also heavily involved in establishing a Tacoma campus for the University of Washington. Haley’s deep interest in social causes was further demonstrated by his participation in the 1963 March on Washington. The American Civil Liberties Union honored Haley with their William O. Douglas award in 1985 for his work to promote civil rights and racial equality and protecting targets of McCarthyism in the 1950s.

Identifier: spl_ds_fhaley_01

Date: 1986-05-02

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Arthur Erickson Interview, July 28, 1986

Arthur Erickson (1924-2009) was a noted Canadian architect, responsible for the designs of projects such as the Canadian Embassy in Washington D.C. and Simon Fraser University. Erickson received the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal in 1986 in recognition for his body of work.

Identifier: spl_ds_aerickson_01

Date: 1986-07-28

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Aerial view of Bellevue, WA, circa 1990s

Dorpat, Paul

Aerial view of Bellevue looking west and slightly north along NE 4th Ave. towards Lake Washington and Seattle. Bellevue Square (first opened in 1946 as Bellevue Shopping Square, and expanded in the 1980s), One Bellevue Center (constructed 1982-1983), the Hyatt Regency hotel (built 1989), Key Bank Building (built 1971), and other buildings can be seen.

Identifier: spl_dor_00021

Date: 1990

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Pine St. west from 4th Ave., December 22, 1965

Dorpat, Paul

Photograph shows views of the Fahey-Brockman Clothing store and the Bon Marche building with its holiday star lit.

Identifier: spl_dor_00036

Date: 1965-12-22

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Jesse Epstein Interview, January 22, 1988

Jesse Epstein (1910-1989) was a lawyer and the first director of the Seattle Housing Authority. Epstein was born in Russia and his family moved to Great Falls, Montana in 1913. Epstein attended the University of Washington where he graduated with a degree in political science in 1932 and a law degree in 1935. He became the director of the Seattle Housing Authority in 1939 and held that role throughout World War II until 1945. During his tenure as director he supervised the development of Yesler Terrace which was the first housing project in Seattle. Yesler Terrace also notable for the fact that it was not segregated according to race (in contrast to many other housing options in the country). In 1945 Epstein became the Regional Director for the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) and became the West Coast Director the following year. In 1948 he left his position at FHA and refocused on his legal career. Epstein was heavily involved in multiple community organizations including Neighborhood House, the Mountaineers and the Washington Wilderness Association.

Identifier: spl_ds_jepstein_01

Date: 1988-01-22

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Solie Ringold Interview, 1988

Solie Ringold (1914-2004) was a Seattle native who became Washington’s first Jewish judge in 1961. Ringold attended the University of Washington and graduated with a degree in law in 1936. After earning his degree Ringold began working for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s office. In 1939 Ringold married his wife, Marion Margolis. Shortly after their first daughter’s birth, World War II began and Ringold left Seattle to serve as part of the Army’s counterintelligence corps in the South Pacific. Following the war, the couple had two more children. Throughout his career, Ringold held several prominent positions including serving as a chairman of the Civil Rights Committee of the Seattle Bar Association from 1960-1961, as a King County Superior Court Judge between 1961 and 1977 and a Washington State Court of Appeals judge between 1978 and 1988. Ringold was active in many community organizations including the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith, Jewish Family and Child Service of Seattle, the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, and the American Veterans Club. He was a founding member of the Washington State Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The organization named Ringold their “Person of the Year” in 1992.

Identifier: spl_ds_sringold_01_01

Date: 1988

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Eve Roberts Interview, 1988

Eve Roberts is an actress who performed with several Seattle theater companies. Roberts studied at the Goodman Theater in Chicago and at George Washington University. She joined the Seattle Repertory Theater in 1967 and stayed through the 1990s. She also acted in productions with the Intiman and the ACT Theatre. In addition to her acting work, Roberts taught at the University of Washington’s Drama School and at the University of Southern California.

Identifier: spl_ds_eroberts_01

Date: 1988

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Ibsen Nelson Interview, 1988

Ibsen Andreas Nelson (1919-2001) was a Seattle architect known for his historical preservation efforts and his designs for buildings such as the Museum of Flight and the Inn at the Market. He also designed many residential homes, including one for his friend and prominent Pacific Northwest artist Morris Graves. Originally from Ruskin, Nebraska, Nelson served in the army during World War II and received two bronze stars. Following the war, he attended the University of Oregon which he graduated from in 1951 with his degree in architecture. He worked briefly at Naramore, Bain, Brady and Johanson in Seattle as a draftsman before opening his own architectural firm in 1953. Nelson was a member of the Seattle Design Commission, and served as president of both the Allied Arts of Seattle and the Seattle Municipal Arts Commission.

Identifier: spl_ds_inelson_01

Date: 1988-04-06; 1988-04-12

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Fred Bassetti Interview, January 24, 1987

Fred Bassetti (1917-2013) was a Seattle native and part of the “Northwest School” of architects. He attended Garfield High School and received his bachelor's degree in architecture from the University of Washington in 1942. During the war, he worked for the Federal Public Housing Authority. In 1946, he graduated from Harvard with his masters degree in architecture. Upon his return to Seattle, he worked for Naramore Bain Brady Johanson from 1946 to 1947 before creating his own architectural firm. Bassetti was responsible for the design of projects such as the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building, the Seattle Municipal Tower and Lakeside School among others.

Identifier: spl_ds_fbassetti_01

Date: 1987-01-24; 1987

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