Physical description:
Original on audiotape cassette in case. Cassette side A has a length of 34 minutes, 13 seconds. Side B is blank. Transferred to one mp3 file for access. Clip of access file attached. Available on SoundCloud at: https://soundcloud.com/historycolorado/dick-derose-oral-history. See attached index for more information.
Project description:
In 2002, the Colorado Historical Society (now known as History Colorado) founded the Colorado Italian American Preservation Association (CIAPA). A volunteer organization, CIAPA’s mission is to work collaboratively with the Society and other organizations to develop, support and coordinate projects that preserve, promote and celebrate Italian American culture and heritage. Since 2002, CIAPA has carried out its mission by meeting with people from the Colorado Italian American community, recording their stories and creating an archive of research materials that includes oral histories, photographs, moving images, sound recordings and artifacts. To date, CIAPA has helped the Society acquire over 200 oral histories, 600 artifacts and nearly 6,000 photographs. Since 2002, CIAPA has developed over 4,000 research files, all of which document the history, culture and traditions of Italian American families in Colorado.
Interview Summary:
Interview conducted on January 25, 2006 with Richard L. “Dick” DeRose at his home. The interview begins with a discussion of Richard’s grandparents from both sides of his family, and how they migrated to the United States. His father’s side came through Ellis Island from Potenza and Naples, and worked extensively with “truck farming” in the 1880s in Welby, Colorado. His mother’s side worked in coal mining in Louisville. Richard also discusses his father, Louis DeRose’s life, and his work in a family owned grocery business. Born in Welby in 1903, Louis originally wanted to be a catholic priest, but started a job as a produce shed foreman in Phoenix, Arizona instead after marrying his wife, Philomena. Richard was born in Phoenix in 1929. In 1930, Louis and family moved back to Denver where he worked in a grocery store at 33rd and Tijon with his brothers. Richard describes the layout, work processes, and schedule of the store, as well as the layout of the store’s upstairs apartments where the family lived. Louis died of a heart attack in 1940.
Richard also discusses his mother, Philomena, or “Minnie” in great detail, mentioning her work as a teacher prior to getting married. After Louis’ death in 1940, Philomena and family moved to Louisville where her parents and siblings’ families helped look after her children. Philomena worked as a telephone operator during World War II. Richard recalls his own life after moving to Louisville, where he worked at his family’s Jacoe grocery store in high school; Jacoe is registered on the National Register of Historic Places. After high school, Richard spent one year at Colorado State University studying teaching, but later went on to continue in grocery business at Safeway starting in 1950; he married his wife, Loraine, that same year. Richard discusses the four locations between Denver and Broomfield that he worked, and his 36 year career as a manager. He also remembers the transition of Safeway from a “grocery store” to a “supermarket,” as well as his first use of a computer in 1975. The interview concludes with Richard’s recollections of Italian community in Louisville, where Richard remembers different ethnic regions of the city, St. Louis Church, and a tavern owned by his uncles.
Notes:
See MSS.02595 Richard L. (Dick) DeRose file for additional information and images.