Name/Title
Oral History of Mary "Pinky" K. WhelanEntry/Object ID
2019.015.001Scope and Content
Pinky attended a Catholic school until ninth grade when she transferred to MacDuffie School for Girls. She then attended Cazenovia Junior College. She and her husband Chuck moved to Los Altos in 1964 due to his job transfer. Pinky once did a joint fundraiser Fashion Show for both the Los Altos History Museum and the Los Altos Assistance League at the Smith House.
Mary “Pinky” Whelan's natural curiosity led her to become part of the Los Altos Historical Commission where she served nine years and worked with Mayor Audrey Fisher and Tamme Tossy to open the J. Gilbert Smith House in 1977, in time for the 25th anniversary of the incorporation of Los Altos. Pinky’s antique shop, The Yankee Peddler, participated in the first Los Altos Antiques Show in 1986, which did fundraising for the Los Altos History Museum. She later organized museum fundraisers (such as the crab feed) and organized exhibits displayed at the J. Gilbert Smith House. Pinky Whelan started the annual Crab Feed [in 1987] as a fundraiser for the Los Altos History Museum. [The Crab Feed ran for 32 years, ending in 2019].Collection
Oral History CollectionOral History Details
Interviewee
Mary K. WhelanInterviewer
Marcia AdamsInterview Date
Jan 24, 2019