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Small town friends are Karen Dye Gonzalez, Earlene Mahurin Cruce, Patti Pelland Tims, Saundra Routt Bellamy, and Betsi Barstow Tiona.
San Manuel Miner
Copper Town Days was a day for people who grew up in or worked in San Manuel to reconnect with old friends and memories of their youth. One of these was Patsy Kaufman who told me a story about growing up in San Manuel and the friends she has from those days. There were five young girls that moved to San Manuel with their families in 1954. The girls, all 13 years old became friends and grew close through their high school years. They would become part of the first graduating class of San Manuel High School in 1958. Patsy’s older sister Karen Dye Gonzalez was one of those five girls. Patsy is also close to all of the five friends. The five girls as shown in the accompanying photos left to right in the 1958 photo and just the opposite in the photo taken in October are Karen Dye Gonzalez, Earlene Mahurin Cruce, Patti Pelland Tims, Saundra Routt Bellamy, and Betsi Barstow Tiona.
Karen tells a little about what it was like as a teenager in San Manuel in 1958:
“In 1958 the main interest for teens was the drug store where you could get a burger, fries and coke and buy an Elvis record with your allowance. There was also a drive-in theater where we spent many weekends socializing, watching a double feature movie and seeing what boy was with what girl. It was also a popular interest to meet in the upper shopping center, cruise town and talk to each other. We also used to go to the airport and make a bonfire, have hot dogs, drinks (??) and the occasional drag race. The local deputy knew us all by name and often threatened to report us to our parents if we were out past curfew but never did. No one ever got into any serious trouble. San Manuel in the 50s for teen was fabulous. Some of the young people in this era got married and are still married to this day.”
Over the years the ladies kept in contact with each other remaining good friends. They have shared life events with each other. Gone through bad times and good times while raising families and having careers. They had children, grand children and now great grand children. For the past 60 years they have gone through life’s tragedies and life’s joys remaining dear friends.
These ladies, now 73 years old still get together whenever they can and still know how to have a good time. Patsy Kaufman says their friendship is a perfect example of “small town, strong ties” and credits growing up in the small town atmosphere of San Manuel with building those ties.
John Hernandez lives in Oracle. He is retired and enjoys writing and traveling. He is active in the Oracle Historical Society. He covers numerous public events, researches historical features and writes business/artist profiles.
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