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bill sale @100
crownjewelersfredericksburg.com
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BILL SALE @ 100 YEARS
I have known Mr. William Powell Sale ever since my teen years growing up with his two sons Powell and David . Both of them have been life-long friends. Bill as he likes to be called, aka Pop and The Chief is one of the most respected and wellknown residents of Fredericksburg, he will celebrate his 100th year on August 26. I have wanted to honor him for many years with a story about his legacy, as he is the senior merchant in Fredericksburg and as he says not retired but "slowed down". His memory is amazing as he recalls his early childhood years and starting his successful business Crown Jewelers in the city.
Bill was born on August 26, 1920, in Caroline County approximately 8 miles from Fredericksburg. He grew up with three brothers Morton, Charlie and Battile. He said that the family relocated near Fredericksburg on a hundred-acre farm when he was six and his father was working at the local Pratt Cheverolet dealership. When he graduated from high school in 1938, he worked several jobs including in the Sylvania Plant as a Lab Technician, we shared a laugh as he recalled the smell from the plant all over the town. Back in those days it was said to be the "smell of money" by the employees of the plant. He recalled his only job that he had out of Virginia was in the Westinghouse Turbine plant in Pennsylvania. Bill said that the salary was excellent, however, he wanted to come back to Fredericksburg.
He would meet his future wife around 1941 as he and some friends went to Madison College for a weekend and Pauline Phillips would get them blind dates. It would be three years later when by fate Pauline would have her first job teaching at Spotsylvania High School. Bill would call her up and they would be together as he would say, "seeing each other daily for the next 73 years". A true love story that produced two sons who
RALPH "TUFFY" HICKS
have carried on the family tradition in the business.
Bill joined the Navy in 1941 and he was assigned to work on instruments for the fleet which included many of the time pieces and clocks. He said that his instructor was a jeweler from the Portsmouth Virginia area and liked his work so much that he offered him a job when his enlistment was over. He said that he liked working on watches and this was the beginning of a life-long business.
In May 1945, his first son Powell was born while he was still in the Navy. His second son David, who is the manager of Crown Jewelers would be born five years later. David's son Justin works in Crown also, his brother Ryan works for the VRE. Powell Sale, III and his wife have a successful landscaping business and his brother Lowell works for the County of Spotsylvania. His son W.P. Jr. operates the Jewel Box and he and his wife Peggy reside in the city.
He is immensely proud of his family and his grandchildren and appreciative of his employees. He mentioned his Business Manager Michael Hicks who has been at his side for 40 years and how thankful he is for his advice and assistance thru trying times.
This is a story of a self-made man who we all wish a: very Happy 100th Birthday Mr. Sale...…God Bless
Tuffy Hicks is a lifelong resident of Fredericksburg & has lots of stories to tell about the ‘Burg
Your Hometown Jeweler Since 1940 On-Premise Jewelry Repair
Large Selection of ESTATE JEWELRY
212 William Street,Fredericksburg 540-373-5513 Mon-Fri 9-5:30; Sat 9-4 jewelboxfredericksburgva.webs.com jewelbox14k@yahoo.com
