Once again we have two very local members to profile. Larry and Barbara Bogel were both born in San Francisco. Larry grew up in the Richmond district. His father owned a grocery store in the tenderloin area of the city. Because sunshine was in limited supply in the Richmond neighborhood his mom finally talked his father into moving

to Marin county. She wanted Larry and his two brothers and sister to grow up knowing what sunshine was all about. When he was about 7 years old the family moved to Mill Valley. It was about that same time that Barbara’s family moved to San Rafel. When Larry was 11 his family moved again to Belvedere.

At age 18 Larry was ready to move out of the house and get on his own. He was able to join the Tiberon fire department as a volunteer. As a resident volunteer he was provided quarters at the fire station. Of course he was expected to respond to emergencies as payment for the free lodging. After about 6 months he began to think that he would like to make the fire service his career and it was after another 6 months that one of the paid guys left and Larry was offered the job.

In 1964 Larry was drafted into the Army. He was to spend his 2 years of active duty at Fort Rucker, in Alabama, at the Army aviation center. Somehow he was assigned to the fire department crash and rescue, which is contrary to everything we have ever heard about the Army. After his discharge he returned to the Tiberon fire department. He retired 30 years later as a Captain, with a total of 33 years counting his Army time.

After an introduction to Barbara by his sister, Larry and Barbara married in 1967. They have two daughters and two grand children.

Barbara was a stay at home mom until the kids were well established in school. She then went to work for the school district for 15 years as a teacher’s aid.

In 1976 Larry bought his ’39 Chevy Coupe. It was a 10 year project to put it into the beautiful shape we have all seen. It was 1990 that he bought the ’67 Chevelle and put it in shape much faster so he was able to drive it on his first national tour to Nashville, Tennessee, in 1991. It was not with CHVA but rather with the 50’s Chevrolet Club.

National tours have been something Larry and Barbara have enjoyed. They took the CHVA tours in 94, 95, 98, 03, and 04. In addition to these they have been on several mini tours.

Larry joined the National CHVA in 1976 and it was not until he finished his ’39 Chevy project that he joined the Redwood Region in 1986.  He is also a member of Vintage Chevrolet Club, Danville Dukes and the Jokers. The Jokers are a modified car club located in the North Bay and like the Danville Dukes they don’t have meetings or dues.

Larry has had a long history of driving interesting old cars. His first was a nice ‘36 Buick, bought from an old gentleman customer of the gas station where he worked. He then had a ‘49 and ‘52 Mercury, followed by a ‘57 Pontiac, and a ‘62 VW. He also has owned a bunch of pick up trucks, starting with a ‘36 International, then a ‘53, ‘65, and ‘80 all which were Chevys. He still has his ‘89 Chevy van.

Both Larry and Barbara have been Redwood Region Board members. For the past 8 years Larry has been on the Masthead of the Action Era Vehicle for Classified Ads. It goes without saying says Larry, that CHVA is by far their favorite car club.

They are both enjoying being retired. However, Larry has made what was a sideline business into a 4 day a week full time business. For the past 25 years he has had a furniture moving business, not large cross city moves, but small moves of a single item or more. He enjoys keeping fit climbing stairs and muscling furniture around. Barbara gives her grandchildren as her top priority although she enjoys tending to her beautiful garden.

Published in AAN May-June, 2005