My Uncle Pete Delaurenti was the kind of guy every kid would love to have as an uncle. A tad eccentric, self-taught, creative, a musician, and almost always cheerful with a warm smile, he was one of the family’s entrepreneurs. Delaurenti Music Store was in the front half of his home on Rainier Avenue in downtown Renton when I was growing up.
Always the promoter and marketer, Pete went to great efforts to promote the accordion and those who played them. These pictures were taken at Liberty Park on August 22nd in 1936 (maybe 1937). That’s Uncle Pete upfront with his baton.
This was a special day, a picnic to celebrate the Accordion Club of Renton. That’s my dad in the back row in the middle, he would be have just turned 15 or 16.
I often think if he were around today, he’d have been all over social media! I love the Americana and the boat float made from a decorated truck.
That's dad in the back of the float on the right. Besides the music store and the Accordion Club of Renton, Uncle Pete was the photo finish photographer at Longacres Race Track for many years. He was also an early movie enthusiast and made travel films that aired on local television in the 1950's.
I'm having a blast going through an old trunk full of these wonderful old family photos. I only wish I would have discovered them many years ago. There's so many questions I'd love to ask.
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