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Roberta Waggoner Oral History

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Call NumberOH504CreatorWaggoner, Roberta Lee, 1933-ContributorColorado Voice PreserveDate2013 October 4SummaryRoberta Lee Waggoner was born at home in 1933. A native of the Swansea neighborhood in Denver, she attended old Swansea Elementary School. Her father was an employee with a local packing company. Her mother suffered from health problems and Roberta spent the majority of her time with her grandparents who lived near-by. During her childhood the family attended Pilgrim Congregational Church. In 1949, 16 year-old Roberta dropped out of Manual High School to marry Marine Reservist Harold Waggoner. The couple lived in Commerce City for twenty years until Roberta’s mother gave her the family home. Roberta worked for the Colorado Serum Company for forty years. As of November 2013, she and Harold reside in the same house where she was born and married. In the interview Roberta discusses her memories of growing up in the Swansea neighborhood; the buildings, people, her family, Riverside Cemetery, and events that she witnessed in her years living there. She discusses her mother’s health issues, her father’s work at Cudahy Packing Company, and her grandparents influence on her life. She also talks about the changes she has seen in the neighborhood, the central issues for the area, namely her concern over the redesign of Interstate-70, the environmental effects of the Interstate on residents, her hopes for the future of the community.Physical Description2 audio files (50:17)SubjectWaggoner, Roberta Lee, 1933-Swansea (Denver, Colo. : Neighborhood);Geographic AreaSwansea (Denver, Colo.)TranscriberNelson, Cyns

Audio

Roberta Waggoner Audio 1

Roberta Waggoner Audio 2

Document (PDF)

Roberta Waggoner Transcript

Roberta Waggoner at Valdez-Perry Branch Library