Jim Roth’s Website

Student Example--Living History Interview Example #1

Please Note: This is an actual student example used by permission. I have changed the names to respect privacy.

Floyd Lewis

Floyd Lewis believes that you can tell a lot about a man by his handshake. And for a 93 year old, he can still give a pretty good squeeze. I was happy to find out that my grip measured up to his standards. Today Floyd is retired from McCall Oil, a company that employed him for over 30 years. He seems to have a good sense of humor, and appears to be in great health. He lives with his wife of many years, and their overweight cat, Maggie. He has lived a long and fulfilling life.

Floyd was born in 1916 in The Dalles, Oregon. Floyd had one sibling, an older brother named Arthur. Arthur was three years older than Floyd, but they were inseparable. Their family did not have a lot of money, but their childhood was filled with fun and games. The two brothers spent most of their days playing baseball with the other kids from the neighborhood. Floyd and Arthur both had dreams of becoming the next Babe Ruth. These dreams of glory came to a crashing halt when their father came home from work one day and announced that he was leaving. He and Mrs. Bailey, a woman from down the street, were in love. 

 Floyd and Arthur were devastated by their father’s decision to leave the family. Floyd said, “Back in those days, people didn’t get divorced like they do now.” This left the two boys with their mother, and some pretty poor circumstances. Floyd’s mother was deaf, as a result of a bad case of rheumatic fever, and back then people did not know sign language. She managed to survive by reading lips, but it really limited her chances for employment. Life was difficult for the boys and their mother. There were many times when the family of three would only eat one meal per day. Floyd’s mother worked as a cleaning lady mostly, but she also did a variety of odd jobs around town. She would do anything to get her boys through school. She wanted her boys to have the opportunities that she did not.

Floyd graduated from high school in 1934.  His mother died 6 months later. Floyd was 18 years old, and he was on his own. The economy was not doing well at this time, and Floyd was having trouble finding work. The Dalles was a small town that did not offer many possibilities. Floyd decided to follow his brother Arthur, and move west to Portland, Oregon. Times were tough everywhere, but the city offered a new start and a variety of jobs. 

 Floyd and Arthur moved to Portland in 1935, and they both had trouble finding work. After months of searching, Floyd was hired at a service station. That job turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to him. Floyd had been working at the service station for about a year when he met the girl of his dreams. When she pulled in to the service station, he made it clear to the other guys that he would be the only one to service her car. Floyd explained, “Back then we couldn’t just ask a woman out on a date. We had to talk with them a few times first.” 

A couple of months passed before Floyd finally asked her out, but she agreed. They had a lovely evening of dinner and dancing. Her name was Nadine, and she was the most interesting woman he had ever met. She grew up on a farm in Montana, and she definitely understood what hard work was all about, but she was beautiful and refined at the same time. Two years later, they were married. They did not have enough money to afford a big wedding, so the ceremony was held at a friend’s house. Nadine wore a borrowed dress, and Floyd wore the only suit he owned. They were perfect for each other.

 The wages at the service station were not enough for Floyd and Nadine to buy a house, so he started looking for a better job. At this point, the economy was beginning to recover, but jobs were still scarce. Floyd, and one of his buddies, decided to join the Air Force. He spent his first year in the U.S., but was then sent to Italy. He spent two and a half years overseas, and served in three different countries. While he was away, he and Nadine wrote at least one letter per week. When he finally returned home, they purchased their first house in which they lived for the next forty-eight years.

After his service in the Air Force, Floyd worked for McCall Oil. He drove an oil truck that delivered heating oil to the residents of Portland. It was a difficult job that required a lot physical labor. Floyd actually gives credit to the physical labor for his good health. He said, “Hallin’ that damn hose around all those years is probably why I’m still here.” He worked for McCall Oil until he retired at the age of 68.

Floyd Lewis has lived an incredible life. He has survived many hardships, but he has always kept a positive outlook. I was fortunate enough to meet with him at The Fountain Retirement Community, where he now lives with his wife, Nadine. They recently celebrated their sixty-first wedding anniversary. They have two daughters, four grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. At 93, Floyd has outlived many of his friends, but he tries not to think about the ones that he has lost. He and Nadine have learned to live one day at a time, and to appreciate all that life has given them. Floyd was a real character, and it was a pleasure to learn about his life.