Oral history interview with Helen M. Brunner

Collection

Identifier: SR1302

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This oral history interview with Helen M. Brunner was conducted by Jim Strassmaier on January 21, 1989, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library's oral history program. In this interview, Brunner discusses her family background and talks about coming to Eugene, Oregon, in 1920. She talks about her education and studying to become an accountant at Eugene Business College. She discusses her early accounting jobs and experiences during the Depression. She then speaks about working as an accountant for Fred Meyer Inc. from 1940 to 1946. She talks about working with Herbert Retzlaff, shares her opinion on labor unions, and describes a typical work day. She speaks about the operations for Fred Meyer Inc., about the employee compensation, and about the Meyer family from the perspective of an employee. She closes the interview by discussing living in Portland during World War II.

Dates

1989 January 21

Creator

Brunner, Helen M. (Helen Marie), 1905-2007 (Interviewee, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Joint copyright for this interview is held by the Oregon Historical Society and the estate of Helen M. Brunner. Use is allowed according to the following statement: In Copyright – Non-Commercial Use Permitted, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-NC/1.0/

Biographical note

Helen Marie Brunner was born in Taintor, Iowa, in 1905. In 1920, she came to Eugene, Oregon. She attended Eugene Business College. She worked as an accountant for Fred Meyer Inc. from 1940 to 1946. She died in 2007.

Extent

.1 Cubic Feet (1 audiocassette (55 min., 2 sec.))

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Oral history interview with Helen M. Brunner conducted by Jim Strassmaier on January 21, 1989. Brunner was an accountant for Fred Meyer Inc. from 1940 to 1946.