Here is my story: My name is Gary Platt and I am ... amazonaws com

Here is my story: My name is Gary Platt and I am eighty eight years old and have a great many people to thank for making my life so wonderful and getting to this point in my journey. One picture shows my wife Tut and I, another our wonderful daughter Alice with son-in -law Dan Newmark and the light of our life four year old granddaughter Lily. The picture of the man in uniform taken about 1910 is my father Albert Platt when he was in the Czarinas Royal Guard, a group of six foot tall expert horsemen that looked good sitting on their horses.He was probably the only Jew allowed in the organization. The beautiful woman is my mother Fannie also taken about 1910. My father and his future father-in law Ben Belcowsky arrived at the Port of Galveston on their way to Dallas in 1912 not knowing a word of English. They were both expert cabinetmakers and earned enough money within a year to send for my mother,three sisters and grandmother as well as a few other relatives. They were married shortly after my mother arrived and lived in Dallas for a few years until at the urging of my uncle Ben Platt who had arrived in Los Angeles in 1902 they moved here. My smart grandfather bought a house at Brittania St. in Boyle Heights about 1919 and it remained in the family for over fifty years. Right after WWI my fathers parents and a brother were killed in a Progrom in Russia and my father aided my Uncle Ben Platt in rescuing the rest of his brothers and sisters and bringing them here. This made our family whole and I was able to enjoy growing up with some wonderful cousins. I want to thank these cousins and other family members,most of them gone that made my life so great: Bertha and Sam Chaiken, Morris and Isobel Gorden, Geesie and Leo Stavinsky (Virginia Rd in West Adams) Clara and Max Bertisch, Rosie and Leon Cooper, Abe and Lil Feedman my recently departed lovable Sammy and Barbara Feedman, almost cousins Harriet and Jack Weintraub and Lenore Codikow, Phyllis and Bernie Levin, Bella and Milt Stone, Annie and Cy Yates, Sam and Marilyn Zuckerman, Helen and Ray Weinskanker, Marion and Dick Lewinter, Bob and Carol Zuckerman, Helene Zuckerman, Sue Zuckerman, Sid Wallis and all the aunts and uncles that looked after me and helped, Uncle Ben and aunt Sophie Platt, Herman and Margie Platt, Conny and Adele Platt Leo Platt who gave me a set of Tom Swift books when I was about ten years old. My nieces and nephews Bob and Sue Yabroff, Gail Yabroff, Harold and Gail Zellman, Reuben and Laura, Margaret and Jack Kukreja, Paul and David Kukreja, Scott and Allison Yabroff, Mike and Alex Yabroff. All of my boyhood friends, Larry Anisman, Harry (Shesh) Silvestein (now Rabbi), Arnold Glick, Murray Zimberg, Alex Hochberg and all the Palavers: Al Greenberg, Al Canter, Stan Mattox, Milt DruckerJohn Brackovich. Manual (Chavalo) Rodriguez, Marvin Schwartz, Jackie Goodman, Etc. My father-in law Reggie Howe,fabulous Aunt Renie(Pippy) Howe,Dorre and Jack Dornoff,Margie and John Howes,Betty,Kim and Kelli Thomas,Dorothy and Hank Beuter, Patti and Jerry, Shona and Dabney Howe, Lily Hadsell, Douglas, Barbara, Judy, Kristina, Monica, Eric,Richard and all the other members of the Hadsell clan. My mother-in law Ida Murphy, Tommy and Marge Murphy, the two Leo Murphys, Pat and Patty Murphy, Cathy Murphy, Mike Murphy, Gloria Murphy and all the rest of the Spokane Murphys. Susan Bougetz, Brian Aulbach and Milo, Jeanette Balsis, Debby and Todd Buchholz and daughters. I have only had a few jobs,working after school(Hollenbeck JHS and Roosevelt HS) at Zellmen’s Mens Shop(Elmer,Norman and Manny) at Brooklyn Ave in Boyle Heights and after returning from WWII I worked as a window trimmer at Brooks Clothing for a year and hit the jackpot. I discovered a beautiful blond switchboard operator named Tut and after a few pleadings she went out with me. Several years later we drove to Las Vegas on a Friday night and were married at the Little White Chapel at 3:00 AM. That will be 60 years this October. My next job I was hired by Harry Applebaum at Chefs Laundry and in 1959 Leonard Einhorn hired me at L & B mfg and this career lasted for 52 years. L & B manufactured restaurant furniture and as I made my travels to promote our company I discovered that the quality of our chairs and stools was far superior to the items used in the Las Vegas casinos. I began to sell our casino seating and it soon became the primary part of our business. Leonard Einhorn and Bob Yabroff spun off our casino production and renamed it Gary Platt Mfg and moved the factory to Reno where it remains today.With Leonards genius for production and Bob’s business direction it remains at the top. I met many wonderful people while working at L & B/Gary Platt mfg, Gary Einhorn, Leonard’s son is a friend to this day,Vic Roberts, Slim Sugiyama, Matsu Inouye, Johnny Ota, Stan Abrams, Nat Rader, Maria Banuelos, Irv Bonn,Don Barnfather, Andy and Rene Ceniceros, Jack Delson, Susan Davis, Charlie Escovar, Paul Endy, John Holmes, Mel Greitzer, Rose Musso, Joyce Kido (mommy liked me best) Don Besecker, Tom Davis, Skip Davis, Barbara Linde, Socorro, Nick Greenwood, J.C.Buffington and many others. Then there are all the wonderful friends that have become family and helped me grow: Florence and Joe Witkow, Stanley, Susan, Jerry, Sue, Bobby, Roberta, Barry and Linda Witkow, Laurel and Ken Newmark, Zelda and Gordon Bernstein, Marlene Askanas, Carmen and Lester Maslan, Shelley and Richard Maslan, Sheri Maslan, Noah and Jocylin, Lainie and Scott, Hilda and Jack Kaufman, Racy Kaufman, John Kaufman, Brenton, Kendyl and Larry Berna, Pete and Nellie Howe, Aunt Golla and the rest of the Gonzales family. Pat and Roy Bartlome and Laurie, Pat and June Mckeon, Wanda Abounader, Ron and Caryl Kleker, Willie Kinoshita, Magda Cervantes, Pat and Kent Graham, Maria Banuelos, Harold Altman. I am certain more names will come to me later of people that are important to me that have slipped my mind. Last but not least was my special friend Mr. Thompson. When I was five years old we lived on Sunnyside in Sierra Madre and Mr Thompson had a small ranch across the street and grew all types of fruits and vegetables and I got to taste them when they were ready. He told me stories about when he was my age he would occasionally go to work with his father to see his special friend. His father worked at the White House and his special friend was Abraham Lincoln. Can you imagine that my special friend Moses J. Thompson had another special friend named Abraham Lincoln? I like that. Gary Platt - [email protected]

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