10.20.25–10.25.25
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Conversation with Danya Gerasimova

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Donna Stoppelmann Steiner lived near the Missouri Portland Cement factory from 1955 to 1978.

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Danya:
Do you remember the Missouri Portland Cement factory?

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Donna Stoppelmann Steiner:

We lived in Bellefontaine Neighbors when I was growing up, 1955 – 1978. I remember my parents closing our windows when the clouds from the cement plant rained down cement fallout particles. I’m sure they were thinking about our health. Many times, I remember our neighbors calling news reporters when the particles were very heavy to get our concerns answered.

I spoke to an old neighbor from our neighborhood and she forwarded this letter my mom wrote. She reminded me Channel 4 or 5 came to our street and stood on our driveway while doing a news report about this. 

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Danya: 

Did your family's decision to move away from the area have to do with the factory too?

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Donna Stoppelmann Steiner:

My parents loved their neighbors and did not move until 2002 to be closer to my sister as my Dad was not well.  I moved out of the house around 1975.

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Danya: 

In your mother’s letter, she mentions your family moved to the area 19 years prior. Have you thought about why the pollution question wasn’t raised as much prior to the ‘70s? Do you think the impact from the factory got worse over time or did it maybe have to do with more families moving to the area?

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Donna Stoppelmann Steiner:

We moved there in 1955, the year I was born. It was a new neighborhood at that time with many young families buying homes there. I spoke to my sister and she thinks the factory got worse over time as they were sending more cement dust out than ever before.

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Danya: 

And how would you describe the neighborhood in the 70s?

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Donna Stoppelmann Steiner:

I think it was a good neighborhood in the 70’s.  It changed in 2000 as people died or moved out.

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