By Dr. Christine Marin Ladimir Kwiatkowski –( July 13, 1928-March 2, 1994). Yes, you know him: the thin, tall, clumsy kid with a top hat, rubber-faced expressions, and who wore long funny ties that came down to his knees. His best friends were Wallace and Gerald; he’s better known as Ladmo, the Arizona television personality and Emmy award-winning comedian who co-hosted …
2024 Living Legend – Dr. Frederick H. Warren
By Dr. Christine Marin The essence of a well-seasoned and highly respected Educator and a life-long practitioner of equity and inclusiveness in all aspects of his work and life. His father’s family came from Texas to the Salt River Valley in 1925. His mother’s family came from North Carolina in 1907. Dr. Warren’s parents attended the Phoenix Union Colored High …
2024 Historic Legend – Ray Martinez
By Dr. Christine Marin Ray Martinez (1918-2002) —Born in Tempe, Arizona, in 1918 and passed away on December 5, 2002, at the age of eighty-five. He served in the U.S. Navy during WWII, trained as a radio man and served on the USS Macaser Straits until 1944 when he was injured in an enemy attack and sent to a hospital …
2024 Living Legend – Hans Olson
by Ryan Fields If there ever were someone to epitomize the phrase, “your favorite musician’s favorite musician,” Hans Olson would be that someone. Despite a lack of mainstream success, the man is one of the premier musicians of Tempe and Arizona. Olson represents a musical style that, while not necessarily Arizona in origin, represents the state and its personality almost …
2024 Living Legend – Dr. Ben Furlong
Dr. Ben Furlong was born in 1931 and raised in South Georgia until 1948 when he moved to Tempe with his family. He graduated from Tempe Union High School in 1949. In 1952, Ben graduated from Arizona State College at Tempe with a degree in Elementary Education. He taught for nine years at Sunnyslope School and at Franklin and Lincoln …
2024 Historic Legend – Eduarda Yates
By Lawn Griffiths Ellen Eduarda “Warda” Yates was a strong Tempean who always had something important to say. Her roots in the community spanned four generations. Historic preservation was her calling. The arts were her love. She fiercely spoke out about changes abounding on the landscape of her city, and she was fervent, to the end, in advocating for many …
Doris Marie Cornett
Doris Marie Cornett (nee Sommer), a long-time resident of Tempe, died Friday, July 14, 2023 at the age of 95. Born in 1928 in Phoenix, her parents, Harold & Laverne Sommer, moved the family to Ohio in 1931, only to return to Arizona after WW II. After graduating from Tempe Union High School, Doris received her Education degrees (BS in …
Seeking New Members for the THS Board of Directors!
Want to Get Involved? To maintain consistency and professionalism in our organization, Tempe History Society is looking for a few individuals who would like to contribute a little more than the financial support of their membership. We are actively seeking those who would be interested in joining our Board of Directors and helping shape the decisions of how our organization …
NEW PROJECT: Petersen House Exhibit & Educational Space
After a long period of time, which resembles a chapter from Rumpelstiltskin, the Tempe History Society Board of Directors has decided to revive a project, which has laid dormant for many years. With the assistance of historic preservation expert and architect, Mark Vinson, and the participation of stakeholders from the City of Tempe, THS has initiated the preliminary steps to …
June Living Legend 2023: Shirley Blanton, Local Historian and Writer
Tempe historian Shirley Blanton has been a champion for local history for many years. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Shirley has called Tempe home since 1948. That’s the year that her parents – Maude and John Randolph – decided that it was time to move out west from Illinois. Shirley immediately embraced her new home, which she remembers as a “very …