ME...the last SunMaid Raisin Girl

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how it all happened

This is the TRUE short story of how it all happened...that I'm featured on the SunMaid Raisin Box since 1970.

When people learn about me and this image, they say, "wow you are famous!" and I say, no I'm not famous, the image is world renowned, however I'm not known as the first SunMaid raisin girl 1915, I'm the updated version in 1970.
It's just something that came into my path many years ago, but no matter what, I can proudly say, "yes, that is me" on the box now!

                   ...Make sure to visit my OTHER LENSES...

The Story of me on the Sunmaid Raisin Box 

short and sweet!

Around 1960-61 I worked for Fiberboard Paper Products in San Francisco, there I was asked to go to the art department for a favor, to hold a tray and draw my hands. Thinking nothing of this, I volunteered and held the tray...the artist sketched the image and was telling me about the changes that where being made to the Sunmaid image on the package, "however it was to be kept with the same recognizable pose". When I went back to the art department I saw the painting, I was surprised to see it looked like me...being a freelance model I did't think too much about it. Some of my co-workers called me the raisin-gal, I thought it was funny.
After leaving Fiberboard to pursue my Modeling I never saw the image and years went by. One day my mother called me and said, I was at the store and saw the SunMaid package and your picture was on it! well of course I had to go buy a box, this was in 1970.

Over the years I had talked about it and always wondered if Sunmaid knew about me. When I got a computer I emailed the Company asking if they knew about me, but all I got was a reply saying "thank you for offering to pose for the box, we have an image that will be there for a while"

In 1999 the local newspaper did a story on the Sunmaid image and me, the reporter contacted the Company, but no one there ever heard of me. Feeling like I was making up a story I felt unsettled. I contacted Sun-Maid Growers of California and told them my story, they replied with a call and some mail information for my curiosity.

As time went by, we did phone tag and emails, then I was invited to Fresno to meet with the President of the company. My husband and I made the journey February 2006, we had a wonderful meeting and after much research they welcomed me as the image on the box.

It is a good feeling to know I have resolved something I thought and talked about for many years...it is a good thing.

Although the image has changed with the times, the Sun-Maid trademark design has always been based on the original pose by Lorraine Collett Petersen 1915.

my husband (left) Al Pacheco, Gary Marshburn, myself, Company President Barry Kriebel...

left 1963 - right 1961

 

The image from above enlarged for those that wrote and asked....yes, I had dark hair... I still have people think this is a joke, no this is the true story about me and my image on the box now...

sharing a short story... 

what a nice thing to do...

Several years ago we went back to California for a vacation, we drove. Coming back we stopped in a small mining town in Colorado, just to go through some Antique shops...there I found an old Sunmaid raisin box, that for many years I have been looking for. This box had the image of Ms.Peterson from a long time ago... asking how much the small box was, I was informed it was not For Sale, just on display...I told him the story of how I looked for this image before mine was on the box. I said, if he ever finds another one, to let me know...about a year later I received a small package, in it was the box I had looked at, a note inside said, "this really belongs to you" I was so thrilled with this kind gesture and not even knowing this man, so I am very grateful to him for this gift.
What a nice thing to do!

image of the old box sent to me 

from the past, paintings of the Sunmaid girl

a Dutch ad for Sunmaid

Old Calendar of Violet Oliver

old cover

rare playingcards bought on ebay

Sunmaid golfball found on ebay

SunMaid gave me a cup

Sunmaid Truck Bank...a gift

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I have so thoroughly enjoyed hearing from people about this lens and my venture with SUNMAID...feel free to link this to your BLOGS or any lens, and yes don't forget to rate the stars above...
let me see your picture on the Fan Club area!...it's so much easier for me to go back to your lens when you are featured on the fanclub list. *********************************************************

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1928 Ad

Madame Alexander Sun-Maid Doll

1987 Bank on ebay

The commercial image of a modern SunMaid Girl 

a Modern day animated image...

I have seen and heard so many comments on this commercial, from it's Julia Roberts to the maiden having all kinds of plastic surgery...oh my! it's only a character in a commercial, why all the drama? Well I enjoy seeing the bright colored animation. I was even given a copy of the commercial before it aired...I treasure the CD.

Was this lens on Sunmaid helpful to you? 

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SunMaid Links 

interesting History of SunMaid Growers of California and other stories
some History
The Sun-Maid girl trademark was inspired by a real person - Lorraine Collett Petersen, who in 1915 lived in the Fresno, California, area where the company began its operations. Life then was simpler, less hectic - and red sunbonnets were the fashion.
Sun-Maid Girl
Our History
Sun-Maid Girl
Play Animation
News
News Archive
Press Kit
The Sun-Maid Girl
Many people want to know if a real person was the original "Sun-Maid girl." The answer is "Yes," and her name was Lorraine Collett Petersen. In May 1915, she was disco
Seth.com | The Sun-Maid Raisin Girl
This photograph shows Sun-Maid Raisin Girl Violet Geissinger and her husband, Detroit Tiger pitcher Earl Whitehill, at a Los Angeles ball yard in the late 1920s.

 

"no I'm not 93 years old, that's not me!
I'm still here, eating Raisins every day!"

find and collect sunmaid memorabilia 

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eBay

SunMaid on Amazon 

try all those wonderful flavored Raisins, especially the Chocolate covered ones

Fall Favorites with Sun-Maid & Dried Fruit

Fall Favorites with Sun-Maid & Dried Fruit

Amazon Price: (as of 12/03/2009) Buy Now
List Price:

Sun Maid California Raisins, 6-Count, 1.5-Ounce Cartons (Pack of 8)

Sun Maid California Raisins, 6-Count, 1.5-Ounce Cartons (Pack of 8)

Amazon Price: $15.26 (as of 12/03/2009) Buy Now
List Price: $19.84

Exterior View of Sun-Maid Raisin Plant - Fresno, CA Giclee Poster Print, 24x18

Exterior View of Sun-Maid Raisin Plant - Fresno, CA Giclee Poster Print, 24x18

Amazon Price: $49.99 (as of 12/03/2009) Buy Now
List Price: $50.00

Sun Maid Tropical Pineapple, 6-Ounce Zbag (Pack of 12)

Sun Maid Tropical Pineapple, 6-Ounce Zbag (Pack of 12)

Amazon Price: (as of 12/03/2009) Buy Now
List Price: $33.36

Sun Maid California Raisins, 12-Ounce Pouches (Pack of 6)

Sun Maid California Raisins, 12-Ounce Pouches (Pack of 6)

Amazon Price: $11.91 (as of 12/03/2009) Buy Now
List Price: $15.48

My Modeling days from the past 

funny or fun to look at!


I modeled off and on since childhood for many years, some of these photos now seem a bit weird to look at, the hair and the cloths...interestingly enough it's all coming back, but not for me! Been there done that!
I wish I had all my modeling photo composites, but I lost them over the years from moving so many times.

These photos here are just a few that bring back memories of years gone by.

Some older Modeling Photos 

Libby's Fruit Cocktail & My Hand


I looked for this Libby's ad for over 40 years...I was about 13/14 years old when I modeled my hand for this ad in San Francisco...I found this ad in a Wisconsin Antique Store...does that mean I'm an antique?

California New Homes Magazine 

on the cover


I just had my first child when I modeled for this...One of my favorite modeling assigments to be sent on a New Homes assignment, I had done quite a few for them. I loved the photographer I worked with "DelCarlo Photography"

New Homes 

another one for the New Homes in California

the Ad 

Shaklee brochure 


One of the brochure ads for Shaklee Products when I worked for them...wow...this a hoot!!!

my art

MY OWN WEBSITES OF FAMILY and ART 

Mom in the Circus, Hubbies Vietnam Site, more on my Artwork

Trapeze Micky II
My Mom in the RBBB Circus, also fun photos of her time in the Theater
Al Vietnam '66-'67
My Husband during his time in Vietnam and his Reunions with the 2nd 34th Armour Div.
art by Delia
A site with slideshow display of some of my artwork
ACEO Miniature Art by Delia -
ACEO MINIATURE Art, most of the cards that have been sold are made into prints, there are some originals or you can order one
animal art and hobbies by Delia
Animal and and hobbies of mine featured on this site.
This website might not show up on Mozilla/Foxfire, so go through another source like MSN, AOL etc.

 

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by d-artist

 Many years ago I had darker hair and lived in California. I worked for a company in San Francisco that made the boxes for the SunMaid Growers of... (more)

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