Interviewee

Dolorez Rivera

Interviewer

Linna Waits

Project

Terlingua Oral History Project

Summary of Interview

Dolorez Rivera was born on June 15, 1932; her older sister is Andrea Villalba and baby sister is Maria Urquieta Molinar. Rivera and Villalba are both widowers, at the age of fifteen Mrs. Villalba worked in the big house, cleaning and cooking, she recalls receiving hair pins as gifts from Mrs. Craft; Mrs. Rivera attended Perry School in Terlingua, TX. She recalls learning to sing and play the guitar; she performed at church and home; for fun she used catalog cut outs to play dolls, walked in the woods, played baseball, marbles and jacks with friends; she remembers wanting a real doll and when she got one she was not allowed to play with it; she was also not allowed in the living room when company was over, adults spoke privately; she also recalls not paying rent or bills and not having electricity, her original home still stands; she recalls loving to dance, and making homemade tortillas in order to gain permission to go to dances; they cooked on wooden stoves; she remembers Jorge the constable being shot and recollects detail a woman being killed by her husband; she details the process of a funeral; she additionally, recalls cleaning the big house and her teacher’s house. To conclude she remembers Terlingua, TX., as a great place to live.

Date of Interview

3-21-2003

Length of Interview

52 minutes

Tape Number

No. 1666

Transcript Number

No. 1666

Transcriber

Mayra L. Avila

Interview Number

No. 1666

Terms of Use

Unrestricted

Included in

Oral History Commons

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