This collection consists primarily of the personal letters of Dorothy Lynch to her older sister, Faye Bell. The letters chronicle the lives of Dorothy Lynch and of her immediate family in Long Beach, California, over the decades from 1926 to 1980; the letters also provide a glimpse of the lives of Dorothy Lynch's immediate and extended family in California and in other states. The correspondence covers the complexities of family life, marriage, child rearing, and Dorothy's life as a homemaker; her employment with the Douglas Aircraft Company during World War II and in sales after the war; job scarcity and the search for employment during the Depression; Dorothy's husband's employment in the oil industry; and other topics, including gender and work; illness; fashion, and body image. Along with correspondence, the collection contains photographs and newspaper clippings.

Dorothy Lynch (1909-1992) and Faye Bell (1900-1987) were sisters who kept in contact through letters from 1926 to 1971. Dorothy Lynch, a life-long resident of Long Beach, California, graduated from Long Beach Polytechnic High School in 1927. She married Louis Quitman Lynch (1902-1979 [referred to in the letters as Quitman or as Jack]), and the couple raised their children, Richard L. Lynch (1929-1978), John Q. Lynch (1931-2008 [referred to at times in the letters as Jack), and Thomas E. Lynch (1941-1986), in the same North Long Beach neighborhood in which she grew up. Dorothy Lynch was a homemaker for much of her life. She also worked outside the home during World War II, as an employee at the Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach; and after the war, as a salesperson in the silver trade. In addition, along with her husband, she owned and managed various properties in the Long Beach area. Faye Bell was a resident of several states, primarily California and Oregon. She was the primary recipient of the Lynch family letters.

10 boxes

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There are no access restrictions on this collection.