Sunday, August 29, 2010

Dark Day Forty Three Years Ago

I would like to dedicate this post to my first husband Larry Staley.  As you can see from this old photo Larry opened the Bank of Las Vegas branch in Overton, Nevada on January 30, 1965.  Larry started his banking career as a messenger boy at age nineteen for Walker Bank in Salt Lake City, Utah. 

Larry was born in Twin Falls, Idaho and moved to Salt Lake City, Utah at age 12.  He graduated from Granite High School. We were married on September 30, 1960.

Larry started his banking career in 1957 working for the Walker Bank & Trust Company.  During the five years that he was with Walker Bank, Larry worked in every department.  Leaving Walker in 1961, he went to work for the Beehive Stake Bank in Grantsville, Utah as Branch Manager.  Larry was loved by all who worked with him and for him.

We moved to Grantsville, Utah and lived there for three years and added Bret and Garen to our family.  He applied for a job with the Bank of Las Vegas in 1963 and was hired and he worked in a Las Vegas branch until the Overton Branch was built.  We moved to Overton, Nevada where Larry managed the bank until that dark day of August 29, 1967.  A day that would forever change my life.  He was 28 and I was 26.  He accomplished a lot in those 28 years, and I feel would have advanced to even higher positions in banking.

A local man Terry Conger from Moapa robbed the bank and shot all three people working that day.  Larry and his two women Tellers, Vera Walkington, and Betty Heitman were all killed that dark, sad day. Their bodies lay in the Vault except for Vera and it looked like she had tried to run and was laying out by the teller's desks.  A husband and father of three, two mothers each with two daughters were taken from their families.  The town people were saddened and outraged that this could happen in our small, quiet community.  Never in any of their minds could something like this happen here in our valley.  Terry Conger was caught the next day, and later after a trial was given a sentence of three life sentences.  He died in prison a few years ago of cancer complications.

1 comment:

  1. Wow. It still amazes me that it happened. I am glad you posted a picture of Larry because I don't think I have ever seen a picture of him. Um, can you say Bret?

    ReplyDelete

Hi, thanks for dropping by my blog. It is a place for me to let my family and friends know what is happening in the daily lives of Frank and I. I appreciate your comments.