Oral History Video Interviews
Thanks to volunteers Jerry Ferrie and Allan Eggers, the Linge Library at the History Center has a large number of videos available for viewing. These video interviews made over the past several years are of famous and maybe not-so-famous-people from the Linn County area who have interesting stories to tell of past events in their lives, people they have known and worked with and places of experience.
We would like to encourage all who are interested to stop by the Library and view these video interviews as your time allows. There is a comfortable chair and DVD player in a quiet corner just waiting for you!
Below is an alphabetical list of people interviewed thus far. We hope you will take a few minutes or an afternoon and enjoy!
Name Date Topic Length
| Abodeely, Edna | 10/14/03 | Early Lebonese Culture | 50 min. |
| Abodeely, Ernie | 8/13/03 | Lebonese culture, Army surplus store | 58 min. |
| Barry, Liz | 4/12/01 | CR born, early aviator at Hunter airport | 19 min. |
| Barta, George | 3/28/04 | Early 16th Ave. Saddle & Leather Shop | 70 min. |
| Beatty, Lucille Lewis | 4/08/04 | Resident Lewis Bottoms area near Palo | 58 min. |
| Becker, Harold | 4/08/04 | Chair. of Board Guaranty Bank & Trust | 58 min. |
| Belden, Elizabeth | 10/7/09 | School Teacher , Dr. of Education UI | 30 min. |
| Berger, Alfred | 8/26/04 | Berger Furrier business in Marion | 57 min. |
| Bezanson, Peter | 4/06/04 | Pres. Morris Plan & Mor Am. Fin. Corp. | 55 min. |
| Bramel, Grant | 4/5/01 | WWII veteran, P-40 pilot fighter | 38 min. |
| Brooks, Bob | 9/19/02 | Local Sportscaster-KCRG,KHAK,KMRY | 64 min. |
| Brown,Alice&Cray,Al | 5/02/02 | Lifelong CR resident & Hist.Volunteer | 98 min. |
| Buresh, Ernie | 4/28/05 | Owners of Banks in CR & Linn County | 60 min |
| Buresh, Ernie & Jo | 5/12/05 | Memories of Howard & Marg. Hall | 29 min. |
| Burge, Vernon | 1/08/02 | Farmer south of Mt. Vernon | 78 min. |
| Carr, Jerry | 4/03/02 | WMT Radio Annoucer-D-jay | 65 min. |
| Carson, Carl | 3/15/01 | Life long aviator of Linn County | 65 min. |
| Carson,Carl & Mary | 11/9/10 | Desegregation of C.R. Public Schools | 56 min. |
| Cashman,Sister Mary E | 1/18/02 | Mother Gen., Dean & Reg.Of Mt. Mercy | 42 min. |
| Chadima,Bill | 4/24/03 | Hubbard Ice/Hawkeye Fire & Safety | 55 min. |
| Charles, Timothy | 6/11/2010 | CEO, Mercy Hospital-flood of 2008 | 51min. |
| Collins, Dr. Russell | 10/17/01 | C.R. Dentist, Africa/American | 74 min. |
| Cray,Alberta,Brown,Al | 5/02/02 | Lifelong CR resident & Hist.Volunteer | 98 min. |
| Curran, Guy "Bud" | 1/14/02 | CR baseball park Grounds keeper | 53 min. |
| Dannels, Nova | 1/10/02 | Hist. Center volunteer | 83 min. |
| Davis, Dick | 8/20/03 | Davis Dairy & early C.R. memories | 83 min. |
| Daws, Beverly | 5/6/11 | Hiawatha resident | 54 min. |
| Dlask, Elma (Pudil) | 4/04/02 | Ellis Blvd. Grocery store owner | 50 min. |
| Dmitruk, Henry | 6/7/01 | Early aviator, Hunter airport,Collins | 50 min. |
| Downs, Ann Krejci | 11/15/01 | United Airlines, Stewardess | 75 min. |
| Dreibelbis, Pat | 4/27/01 | Early aviator, B-17 pilot, Vinton Bank | 47 min. |
| Drenkhahn,Marilyn | 4/27/11 | Child @ Childrens home | 19 min. |
| Driscoll, Ralph | 6/26/01 | Cons.business, Early aviator,Collins | 49 min. |
| Estle, George | 9/26/11 | CEO - Tanager Place | 48 min. |
| Farmer's Market | 7/16/03 | Hist. Of CR market,by Lenora Watson | 44 min. |
| Fielder, G. Rodriguez | 8/26/04 | Hispanic Heritage | 63 min. |
| Flood Stories | 8/12/09 | M. Duffy, S. Gannon, & P. Keating | 52 min. |
| Funcke, Peter | 12/16/02 | Retired Cedar Rapids police officer | 78 min. |
| Furman, Ethel | 11/29/01 | Wife of railroad dispatcher, Rock Is. | 69 min. |
| Geuder, Bob | 5/11/05 | Dir. Of Follies 26 yrs., & a teacher | 47 min. |
| Ginsberg, Herman | 4/01/04 | 4th generation family Jewelry business | 44 min. |
| Glise, Tamara | 10/28/09 | Asst. Dir., C.R. Public Library | 32 min. |
| Gonder, Ron | 5/6/2010 | Sports Broadcaster - WMT radio | 51min. |
| Goodman, Marge | 11/20/02 | C.R. school teacher for some 35 years | 76 min |
| Goodman, Marge | 11/7/05 | Country School Music | 13 min. |
| Granger House | 1/15/03 | Marion Granger House Museum tour | 53 min. |
| Greco, Leo | 1/09/02 | Local Country music Band leader | 76 min |
| Hall, Harold | 4/12/01 | Early aviator in Linn County | 72 min. |
| Hansen, Donald | 6/23/10 | Memories of Grant Wood | 33 min. |
| Hanson, Donald | copy | "Yesterday" collection of home movies | 24 min. |
| Hanson, Donald | 5/14/2010 | Collins Radio , Photo Dept. | 74min. |
| Hanson, Paul C. | copy | "Yesterday" collection of home movies | 24 min. |
| Hanson, Vera-sister | 4/17/04 | Early Czech immigrants to Cedar Rapids | 64 min. |
| Harmony Hawks | 9/13/02 | Harmony Hawks Chorus (local) | 59 min. |
| Harris, Dr. Percy | 12/11/02 | C.R.-M.D. & Linn Co. Med. Examiner | 115 min. |
| Harris, Lileah | 11/14/02 | Wife of Dr. Percy Harris, mother of 12 | 90 min. |
| Hasek, Dr. Ondrej | 4/15/04 | Cedar Rapids 3rd Generation Dentist | 77 min. |
| Heald, Don | 3/23/01 | WWII veteran early Linn county aviator | 38 min. |
| Hembera, Agnes White | 4/28/05 | daughter of Brucemore caretakers | 46 min |
| Henrici, Carl | 10/17/01 | EE at Collins Radio, ham radio oper. | 52 min. |
| Henry, George | 6/14/01 | Photographer for Coe | 62 min. |
| Hepker, Ralph "Bud" | 1/13/04 | Collins Radio Eng, Appolo, WWII Vet. | 85 min. |
| History for Lunch | 4/15/03 | "Sports" people & city recreation | 90 min |
| History for Lunch | 7/01/03 | Amelia Earhart (Rod Blocksome) | 71 min |
| History for Lunch | 8/19/03 | Richard Scearce - Wright Connection | 63 min. |
| Hoppenworth, Marv | 6/14/01 | Early aviator, Collins Radio | 54 min. |
| Hunter, Mark | 6/15/10 | Historian of C.R. flood, 2008 | 97min. |
| Jasa, Pauline | 3/31/04 | Truck farming & early City Market | 59 min. |
| Johnson, Robert M.L. | 4/21/03 | C.R. mayor, Newscaster, IA Legislator | 100min. |
| Johnson, Ted | 10/25/01 | WWII veteran, founder of J-Tec | 117 min. |
| Katz, Bert | 10/20/04 | Katz Salvage, Marion, Iowa | 58 min. |
| Katz, Bert | 10/20/04 | WW II Military stories, "D" Day etc. | 40 min. |
| Kazimour, Bob | 10/21/09 | Founder of RFK Trucking | 58 min. |
| Kesler Eliza "Roby" | 4/15/02 | Coe, Author of Quiz Kids | 65 min. |
| Kiecksee, Dale | 4/26/01 | Early aviator in Cedar Rapids | 64 min. |
| Knapp, Russell | 8/22/02 | Security Corp. of Iowa founder | 93 min. |
| Knecht, Vern | 4/21/03 | Country schooling,Vo-Ag Kirkwood Inst. | 72 min. |
| Koehler History Center | 9/15/04 | Naming dedication of Hist. Center | 32 min. |
| Koehler, Mary | 8/14/03 | C.R.& History Center Benefactress | 72 min. |
| Krejci, Charles | 10/18/01 | born in CR and stories of early times | 83 min. |
| Krejci, Charles | 11/2/01 | 47 yrs. In C.R. Banking business | 87 min. |
| Krouse, Wallace | 11/5/10 | Past Pres. C.R. baseball club 91-2007 | 57 min. |
| Kubicek, Ted | 4/20/05 | C.R. lawyer for 30 years | 110 min |
| Kubicek, Ted | 4/27/05 | story of his FBI career | 57 min |
| Lander, Clayton | 4/12/01 | WWII vet., Pilot for Collins Radio | 31 min. |
| Larson, Dick | 6/17/11 | History on city of Hiawatha | 54 min. |
| LCCDC | 10/12/04 | Linn County Child Development Center | 95 min. |
| Lehmkuhl, James | 4/08/02 | Long time Cedarapidian | 64 min. |
| Lewis, Doris M. | 11/20/02 | Linn Co. school teacher & farm wife | 75 min. |
| Linge, Audrey, Ovel | 10/20/05 | Wife of David L.,owners of Cedar Mem. | 68 min. |
| Lippisch, George | 6/27/01 | Lippisch Design, son of Alex Lippisch | 58 min. |
| Lipsky, Joan | 10/15/09 | Phychologist,Legislator, Lawyer | 59 min. |
| Liu, Lee | 4/27/05 | Former CEO & chairman of IES-Alliant | 67 min |
| Lunning, Everett | 5-13-2010 | Early propane-gas Company in C.R. | 93min. |
| Mahoney, Lorraine | 12/5/02 | Early Collins Radio employee | 67 min. |
| McLeod,Jane & Frank | 11/20/02 | School teachers & parents of Clark | 95 min. |
| Metcalf, Conger | 8/20/04 | Renowned Artist narrated by W.Whipple | 50 min. |
| Metcalf, Conger | 5/23/90 | copy of conversation with | 57 min. |
| Miller, George | 1/24/02 | Farm manager for Weaver Witwer | 47 min. |
| Mills, Ralph | 8/09/02 | br-1902,IDOT,Mil.RR, Marion city Engr. | 100 min. |
| Minor, Red | 1/22/01 | Early aviator, Collins Radio | 92 min. |
| Munsell, Bill | 8/21/03 | CMF&Z local Advertising Agency | 72 min. |
| Myers,Virginia Sigmund | 1/30/03 | Social work in Cedar Rapids area | 63 min. |
| Nance, Bob | 8/22/02 | WMT farm personality, Vigortone V.P. | 76 min. |
| Nassif, Barb | 11/8/01 | C.R. Interior Designer- had business | 73 min. |
| Nassiff, Mary | 10/14/03 | Early Lebonese Culture | 70 min. |
| Neff, Lillian | 10/1/09 | Brd,member Emeritus Childrens Home | 44 min. |
| Nejdl, Bob | 4/15/04 | Early Czech memories & Dog boarding | 82 min. |
| Nejdl,Marjorie Kopecek | 8/20/03 | Telling about rich Czech heritage | 53 min. |
| Nejdl,Marjorie Kopecek | 4/17/03 | Marj's part-2 interview, Egg Art demo | 37 min |
| Newport, Dale | 3/31/04 | Early City Market & Newport Florist | 47 Min. |
| Novotny, Frank | 4/29/04 | His life & Czech egg art | 55 min. |
| Nyquist, John D. | 11/29/01 | Collins Radio, management | 70 min. |
| Oxley, Helen | 8/07/02 | Lifelong resident Linn county/Marion | 68 min. |
| Pennington, Art | 4/04/02 | Major League & M&J baseball player | 75 min. |
| Pinney Assemblage | 8/26/03 | Assemblage in Hist. Center Gallery | 29 min. Tape-91 |
| Pisarik, Raphael | 4/25/02 | Life long Mt. Vernon/Ivanhoe farmer | 107 min. |
| Polehna, Milton | 4/06/04 | Early Andrew Polehna meat market bus. | 50 min. |
| Politis, George | 7/17/03 | Wilson Meat Packing plant Supervisor | 43 min. |
| Politis, Wilma "Cookie" | 7/24/03 | Wilson Meat Packing plant employee | 63 min. |
| Quarton, William | 9/17/01 | Broadcaster | 104 min. |
| Quarton, William | 10/16/03 | Broadcaster interviewed at age 100 yrs. | 65 min. tape-94 |
| Quinby, Bill | 8/15/02 | CR teacher,prin.,official NFL-Big 10 | 84 min. |
| Rector, Jack | 4/15/02 | Collins Flight Control Engineer | 73 min. |
| Reed, Cecil | 8/08/02 | CR black,bus. man,Legislature,writer | 101 min. |
| Riley, Nancy | 9/29/05 | teacher, wife of Lawyer Tom Riley | 89 min. |
| Riley, Tom | 6/16/05 | Lawyer, Author ,IA. Leg.,Riley Law Firm | 81 min. |
| Rutledge, Cheryl | 1/31/03 | Iowa Mfg., 46 yr. Employee | 61min |
| Rutledge, Evelyn | 8/21/03 | Doll Collection | 62 min. |
| Scheibel, Frank & Betty | 4/18/02 | CR born, Coe College, WW II Pilot | 76 min. |
| Sedlacek, Dr. Richard | 4/07/04 | General Surgeon in Cedar Rapids | 50 min. |
| Sessions, Chuck | 3/15/01 | WWII veteran, B-17 bomber pilot | 56 min. |
| Sheronick, Jim | 10/20/05 | Story of Lebanon father, emigrant 1895 | 59 min. |
| Sheronick, Jim | 10/27/05 | Lebonese emigrant,Prudential Life Ins. | 109min. |
| Smith, Herald | 12/8/05 | Founder of C.R.S.T. trucking company | 62 min. |
| Smith,Alice & Barry, Liz | 4/25/02 | Lifelong C.R. residents | 82 min. |
| Stickling, Sister Anne M | 1/10/02 | Mercy Hosp. Xray Sup. & teacher | 78 min. |
| Stoner, Jean (Minish) | 1/07/04 | Mt. Vernon area Stoner Farm Corp. | 72 min. |
| Swartzentruber, Art | 9/13/02 | Founder of Vigertone Co. | 88 min |
| Tanager Place | 6/12/11 | Reunion of childrens home | 80 min. |
| Thompson, Donald | 5/02/02 | Linn Co. farmer & WWII veteran | 65 min. |
| Tlusty, Wilfred | 8/08/02 | Lifelong CR resident & Hist.Volunteer | 82 min. |
| Trimble, Thelma | 4/08/02 | Mother of local sports family | 80 min. |
| Turechek, Alma | 6/7/01 | Coe Professor of music, born in 1901 | 71 min. |
| Vigortone Barbershop | 9/13/02 | Local Barbershop Quartet | 59 min. |
| Walters, Jack | 2/23/01 | Early aviation enthusist | 60 min. |
| Watson,Lenora Jelinek | 1/29/03 | Early C.R. Czech heritage Part-1 | 85 min. |
| Watson,Lenora Jelinek | 1/30/03 | Early C.R. Czech heritage Part-2 | 74 min. |
| Whipple, William (Bill) | 4/5/01 | CR born, General Ins. Business | 50 min. |
| Williams, Don | 2/22/01 | Hunter airport employee | 35 min. |
| Wilson, Mike | 6/7/01 | Early aviator, CR motorcycle dealer | 60 min. |
| Wolrab, Mary | 1/08/02 | Wayside Farm south of Mt. Vernon | 74 min. |
| Wray, Robert | 4/26/01 | WWII Vet., Pilot for Howard Hall | 117 min. |
| Wright brothers | copy of "Dreams of flying" from AE | 85 min. | |
| Yaw, Bob | 10/18/01 | CR born, Pres. Souvenir Pencil Co. | 118 min. |
| Zazza, Jack | 8/25/04 | Plumbing/Heat.&Hotel Sheraton(Clarion) | 64min. |
| Zlatohlavek, Mana-sister | 4/17/04 | Early Czech immigrants to Cedar Rapids | 64 min. |
Capturing History Alive:
The Flood of 2008
The History Center is teaming up with Coe College and the Gazette to collect stories from the Flood of 2008. As the repository of history for Linn County, it is most important that the History Center coordinate the documention of this unfortunate event.
Residents who were affected by the flood, those who assisted in rescue efforts or helping during the aftermath, as well as business owners, churches and nonprofit organizations are invited to share their stories.
To Share Your Story click here.
Those who need assistance in filling out the form, may call Jamie KellyMonday through Friday, at The Gazette at (319) 399-5956.
If you have photographs of the flood or of your neighborhood or business before or after the flood and would like to donate them to the History Center, contact Jim White, 319-362-1501 or e-mail jim@historycenter.org
Photos by Andrea Shriver
