Eathel Lasson Winkelman Oral History Interview

Oral history interview with Eathel Lasson Winkelman by Ron Staker; Topics include: Biographical information such as date and place of birth, parents and siblings; Growing up in Fairview, UT; The death of Eathel's father when she was a toddler; Her mother expecting her fourth child when Eathel's father died; Admiring her mother's courage; How her mother learned to milk cows; Skimming and selling cream from the milk; Her uncles caring for her father's sheep and cattle and sending the profits to her mother; Watching soldiers leave on a train during WWI; Attending elementary school in the building that is now the Fairview Museum; Walking only two blocks to get to school; Her mother's second marriage to Eathel's Uncle and he being a great father to Eathel and her siblings; Her mother sewing dresses for her; Enjoying Independence Day celebrations; Making paper flower wreaths; Enjoying art; Attending high school in Mt. Pleasant; Participating on the typing team; Taking a woodshop class; Serving as Senior class vice-president; Cheerleading; Graduating from Seminary; Senior couple missionary service for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS); Attending cosmetology school after high school graduation; Employment at salons in Salt Lake and Cheyenne, WY; Meeting her future husband in high school and being reacquainted while she was living in Salt lake and her future husband was attending the University of Utah; Attending the Junior Prom with him and being proposed to that night; LDS Church service; Living in California; Teaching a missionary preparation class; Involvement in the PTA; Fundraising efforts for Marching Band uniforms; Starting a book club: Moving to Durham, NC to get married; Her husband attending law school; Traveling home to Utah and being involved in a car accident in California; Deciding to stay in California for her husband to finish law school, but the economic effects of the Great Depression preventing this; Her husband having difficulty finding employment and becoming a real estate broker; Eathels' employment at salons in Beverly Hills and names of celebrities whose hair that she worked on, such as Heddy Lamarr and Gracie Burns; The birth of their children; Eathel opening four of her own salons; Making wise real estate investments; Enjoying world travels; Taking art classes as an adult; Her interest in oil painting; Sharing her paintings with family and friends; Family history stories; Her memories of Fairview as a child; Her father's involvement in the Fairview Mercantile Store; Attending dances at the dance hall; Her hopes for the Fairview Museum and its influence in bringing more activity to Fairview; Children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

The oral history interview with Eathel Lasson Winkelman, conducted by Ron Staker, covers a wide range of topics about her life and provides insight into Eathel's childhood, her career in cosmetology, the challenges she faced during the Great Depression, and her love for art and family. Her life story highlights resilience, family devotion, and community involvement.