06/15/2026
The Los Alamos Historical Society was saddened to learn of the recent passing of long-time Los Alamos resident Rita Martinez Apel. Mrs. Apel arrived in Los Alamos in 1947 as a young woman and worked as a waitress and hostess at Fuller Lodge, living for a time in the staff quarters on the second floor. She was also crowned Snow Queen at the Army-Navy Club Snow Ball, held on December 3, 1948 in Los Alamos. These photographs from our collections show a lovely young woman at the beginning of a long and wonderful life in Los Alamos. The Los Alamos Historical Society Archives & Collections are lucky to have an oral history interview with Rita Martinez Apel and her husband Charlie Apel in our collections. Our heartfelt condolences go out to Mrs. Apel’s family and friends.
📸 1: Army-Navy Club Snow Ball, December 3, 1948. Mart Black, KRS announcer, is at the microphone. The young women have been identified left to right: Carol Brumn, Josephine Napier, Virginia Rinehart and Rita Martinez.
📸 2: Mart Black, KRS announcer, Army-Navy Club Snow Queen Rita Martinez, and an unidentified man at the microphone
📸 3: Mart Black, KRS announcer, Army-Navy Club Snow Queen Rita Martinez, at the microphone during the Army-Navy Club Snow Ball
📸 4: Unidentified man, Army-Navy Club Snow Queen Rita Martinez, and KRS announcer Mart Black
📸 5: Mart Black, KRS announcer, is at the microphone. Coming forward is Ricky Karnoff. The rest of the young women have been identified left to right: Virginia Rinehart, Rita Martinez, Yvonne Winburn, Linda Galt, Agnes Delgado. The young women are all dressed in long formal gowns. The contest was held at the Community Hall
