Larry Smith
I was born in Holtville, Ca., my parents lived on a ranch south of town for a while,
we then moved south of Seeley, Ca. and later moved into Seeley where I grew up
going through grade school. As you know I then went on to Central where I
somehow graduated.
After High School I
married, Jeanne, we had a Son David Lee, we were
married two and a half years and divorced me gaining custody of my Son. My
Mother helped me a great deal with him, thank you mother.
I went to work for the
Imperial Valley Press as a apprentice printer, stayed about a year and then
went to work at U.S.G. Plaster City, was there two and a half years, then went
to work on a farm, met a lot of really nice people, had a great time in spite
of the long hours. While I was there I was able to get a license to drive
18-wheelers. The price of Lettuce was bad that year so the farmer lost his
backside and I was out of a job.
I then went to work for
Imperial Hay Growers driving a green chop truck, started bumming rides with the
hay truck drivers gaining experience driving the big trucks.
I worked for various trucking
companies along the way one being Mexicali Truck Lines (real name) and then
worked for a company driving cross-country, was a great experience, saw most of
the U. S., found out Imperial Valley was not a bad place to live - no snow or
ice!
I owned my own truck for five
years - that was a real learning experience! I was hauling sand and gravel out
of Coalinga, Ca. when I met my present wife, Helen, of thirty-four years
– I was hauling for a batch plant making concrete for the Ca. Aqueduct.
Went from there to
Hauled cannery tomatoes for
eight summers in the
In the mean time helped build
I-8 here in the Valley, then later sold my truck and went back to driving for a
company.
Got the chance to go to work
for the Imperial Irrigation District in nineteen seventy-four and have been
there ever since.
Along the way my wife and I
raised three children, David, Bobby, and Lori.
We have six grandchildren.
We have traveled in
We like to four wheel with our CJ-7 and camp in remote places.
There you have it,
Larry