Retiring lunhermen's Career Spans Alnost Half a Century

J. S. "Jack" Butler, general manager of Hammond Lumber has announced the retirement of Pete Bendetti, one of Los Angeles County's trest known and popular figures in the retail end of the business. Pete will hedge his retirement slightly by being a part-time consultant to Hammond "in-so-far as it does not interfere with my hunting and fishing," he affirms.

For the past 47 years Pete has been serving public and employer alike at the very same location where he started the first day. Despite the rigors of serving the public he looks more like 50 than retirement age.

Manager of Hammond Lumber Company's retail yard in Bellflower since 1941, Pete has accumulated a world of successes and friends far beyond the wildest dreams that drove him as a lad of 15 in Italy to leave home and make his way to what he knew was the land of opportunity.

He landed in Idaho and got a job as "whistle punk" with a railroad-operated lum'ber operation. f,ess than three years later he moved to the golden land of California.

Pete Bendetti came to the community of Hynes,Clearwater (now Paramount) adjoining Bellfldwer 47 y"urc ago, where he has since resided. His first employment was with F. L. Lake Company at the same location as the day he left to begin retirement. Lake Lumber was the predecessor of Hammond Lumber Compuny which purchased the yard two years later.

Friends r,ecall how Pete walked to work from Paramount to Bellflower (six miles round trip) many years ago along what is now Alondra Blvd., which was then just a little dirt road.

With his business life centered in Bellflower, Pete concentrated his civic and social activity in that community. He was active in the Bellflower Rotary Club lor more than 20 years, during which time he received many awards for perfect att€n. dance. He worked for all worthv charitv organizal.ions and his aim was "l*uy. rL "do something more than was expected."

In 1949, along with other Hammond employees, he was awarded a beautiful watch in recognition for more than 25 years of service. In J941, Pete was selected as manager of the Bellflower yard, a position he held for almost a quarter of a century.