Herbert Denis Smelser

Brief Life History of Herbert Denis

When Herbert Denis Smelser was born on 13 September 1927, in Los Angeles, California, United States, his father, Harold Lucien Smelser, was 24 and his mother, Alice Elizabeth Archibald, was 20. He married Patricia Ann Thornburg on 29 May 1950, in Clark, Nevada, United States. He lived in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States for about 20 years and Nevada, United States in 1986. He died on 14 July 2006, in Las Vegas, Clark, Nevada, United States, at the age of 78.

Photos and Memories (2)

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Family Time Line

Herbert Denis Smelser
1927–2006
Sherry Kay Lackey
1937–1993
Marriage: 1 February 1986

Sources (15)

  • Unknown, "United States 1950 Census"
  • Herbert Dennis Smelser, "California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994"
  • Herbert Denis Smelser, "Nevada County Marriages, 1862-1993"

Spouse and Children

World Events (8)

1929

13 million people become unemployed after the Wall Street stock market crash of 1929 triggers what becomes known as the Great Depression. President Herbert Hoover rejects direct federal relief.

1934 · Alcatraz Island Becomes Federal Penitentiary

Alcatraz Island officially became Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary on August 11, 1934. The island is situated in the middle of frigid water and strong currents of the San Francisco Bay, which deemed it virtually inescapable. Alcatraz became known as the toughest prison in America and was seen as a “last resort prison.” Therefore, Alcatraz housed some of America’s most notorious prisoners such as Al Capone and Robert Franklin Stroud. Due to the exorbitant cost of running the prison, and the deterioration of the buildings due to salt spray, Alcatraz Island closed as a penitentiary on March 21, 1963. 

1948 · The Beginning of the Cold War

The Berlin Blockade was the first major crises of the Cold War. The Soviet Union blocked all access to the sectors of Berlin under Western control and offered to drop the blockade if the newly introduced Deutsche Mark was removed from West Berlin. The Berlin Blockade showed the different ideological and economic visions for postwar Europe. Even though there wasn't any fire fight during the cold war, many of these skirmishes arose and almost caused nuclear war on multiple occasions.

Name Meaning

Americanized form of German Schmelzer .

Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.

Possible Related Names

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