Suffolk Living July-August 2018 by Suffolk News-Herald

suffolklivingmag.com

Unique history pez and penniman have suffolk connections

july/august 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ vol. 9, no. 4

2 suffolk living

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FEATURE

Lynn Barlow has collected about 2,500 PEZ dispensers in the last 14 years or so. She knows the best places to pick them up and frequently gets calls from friends and relatives if they spot one they think she doesn't have.

contents july - august | 2018 23

WHERE AM I? | Think you know Suffolk well? Then see if you can identify this photo.

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10 In the News

Driver Elementary School completed its 50year history at the end of last school year. The Bears celebrated in a big way back in May.

On the cover suffolklivingmag.com

Canaries of Penniman

18 What does this little industrial town once located near Williamsburg have to do with Suffolk? Plenty, as it turns out.

Unique history PEZ AND PENNIMAN HAVE SUFFOLK CONNECTIONS

july/august 2018 â&#x20AC;¢ vol. 9, no. 4

by Tracy Agnew

editor's note july - august

2018

PEZ and Penniman

EDITORIAL Tracy Agnew Editor

Alex Perry Writer & Photographer Jen Jaqua Photographer Kellie Adamson Writer news@suffolklivingmag.com

ADVERTISING

Earl Jones Marketing Consultant Lindsay Richardson Marketing Consultant Dana Snow Marketing Consultant Kandyce Kirkland Marketing Consultant sales@suffolklivingmag.com

PRODUCTION Troy Cooper Designer

ADMINISTRATION John Carr Publisher

Cathy Daughtrey Business Manager Hope Rose Production

As so often happens in an area as steeped in history as is Suffolk, this month’s edition of Suffolk Living magazine has a lot of history in it. More than a century ago, a little town called Penniman sprang up about six miles from Williamsburg to accommodate workers in a DuPont munitions plant there. They had single-family homes, apartments and dormitories, restaurants, a hotel, shops, police and fire stations and all of the other amenities you would find in a typical town. It was also a town filled with patriotism and, of course, TNT poisoning. More on that when you read Phyllis Speidell’s excellent story. But what, you might ask, does Penniman have to do with Suffolk? Well, a lot, actually. It turns out that Driver was once considered as a site for the town. The munitions produced there during World War I were barged to the former Army Pig Point Ordnance Depot near the former Tidewater Community College site on College Drive and were shipped directly from there to the front lines. And completing the circle, Rosemary Thornton, a Suffolk resident, author and architectural historian, is an expert on the historic town after uncovering the almost-forgotten history and documenting it all in her book, “Penniman, Virginia’s Own Ghost City.” In another historic connection to Driver, you can read in this edition about the closing of Driver Elementary School after 50 years. The closing ceremony, which took place May 8, included lots of laughs but lots of memories, too. For a light-hearted look at past and present, look no farther than our feature on Crittenden resident Lynn Barlow and her collection of about 2,500 PEZ dispensers. She’s got PEZ dispensers featuring everything from presidents to “Star Wars” characters, and she got the idea to collect PEZ dispensers from an unlikely place. It’s July and August, and they’re the two hottest and most humid months of the year around these parts. But don’t let that keep you inside this summer. Keep well hydrated and get out there to celebrate everything a Suffolk summer has to offer — especially the National Night Out celebration on Aug. 7. God bless. Tracy Agnew, Editor

Suffolk Living is published six times per year by Suffolk Publications, LLC. P.O. Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439 www.suffolklivingmag.com • (757) 539-3437

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what to do Send us your news To submit your calendar or news item, simply email it to: news@suffolklivingmag.com

Paint night July 20

This is not your typical paint night. Create a masterpiece of your very own from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts. Learn a bit about different artists and try your brush at the canvas. Art supplies and inspiration are provided. Just bring yourself and your friends and leave everything else at the door. Makes for a great date night or friendsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; night out! Adults 21 and up only.

suffolk living 9

what to do Development Center, 100 N. College Drive in Franklin. There will be food, fellowship and fun. A donation of $50 is requested from each participant. Call Thora Jean Baker at 657-6261 or Carrie Wiggins at 377-7452 for more information. August 3

The TGIF Summer Concert Series continues with a performance by Soul Intent from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Bennett’s Creek Park, 3000 Bennetts Creek Park Road. The free concert will have family fun with bounces houses, plus adult beverages and various food and merchant vendors. Call 514-7250 for more information. August 7

TGIF Summer Concert Series July 17

The 757 Pitch event will take place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave. Participants will have seven minutes to present five pitches for new business ideas in this “Shark Tank”-style competition. There will be up to $10,000 in prizes.

July 26

July 20

The TGIF Summer Concert Series continues with a performance by Cheap Thrills from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Bennett’s Creek Park, 3000 Bennetts Creek Park Road. The free concert will have family fun with bounces houses, plus adult beverages and various food and merchant vendors. Call 514-7250 for more information.

The TGIF Summer Concert Series resumes with a performance by The Deloreans from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Bennett’s Creek Park, 3000 Bennetts Creek Park Road. The free concert will have family fun with bounces houses, plus adult beverages and various food and merchant vendors. Call 514-7250 for more information. July 21

Suffolk Tourism and Suffolk Public Library will hold the “Storytime at the Station” series for children ages 3 to 7. This fun, interactive program will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. on the porch of the Seaboard Station Railroad Museum, 326 N. Main St. Each monthly program has a different book and the opportunity to explore the museum. The program is free and open to the public, but space is limited. Reservations are recommended along with blankets or beach towels for comfortable seating. Call 514-4135 for reservations and other information. July 21

The Whaleyville Community Block Party and Craft Sale will take place at Whaleyville United Methodist Church, 6312 Whaleyville Blvd., from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Contact Scott Anderson at 620-0833 for more information.

Join the Morgan Memorial Library for a free screening of the documentary “13th” from 5:30 to 7:45 p.m. There will be a discussion following the film. The event is open to the public. July 27

Celebrate National Night Out with your neighbors during this crime-fighting event! During the evening hours, get-togethers will be held across the city to help you get to know your neighbors and local law enforcement and present a united front against crime. Find more information at suffolknno.com. August 10

The TGIF Summer Concert Series continues with a performance by Touch of Spice from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Bennett’s Creek Park, 3000 Bennetts Creek Park Road. The free concert will have family fun with bounces houses, plus adult beverages and various food and merchant vendors. Call 514-7250 for more information. August 17

The Bethlehem Ruritan Club, 140 Manning Road, will feature the Flatland Bluegrass Country Band from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Soft drinks, barbecue, hot dogs, snacks, and desserts will be available for purchase. The band will be working for tips.

The TGIF Summer Concert Series will conclude with a performance by Vinyl Headlights from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Bennett’s Creek Park, 3000 Bennetts Creek Park Road. The free concert will have family fun with bounces houses, plus adult beverages and various food and merchant vendors. Call 514-7250 for more information.

July 28

August 18

Lake Prince Woods, 100 Anna Goode Way, will host Cupcake Wars at 2 p.m. Tickets are $5 and proceeds will benefit the Western Tidewater Walk to end Alzheimer’s. Call 9235513 or email dbrown@uchas.org for more information.

Suffolk Tourism and Suffolk Public Library will hold the “Storytime at the Station” series for children ages 3 to 7. This fun, interactive program will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. on the porch of the Seaboard Station Railroad Museum, 326 N. Main St. Children and parents will also have the opportunity to explore the museum. The program is free and open to the public, but space is limited. Reservations are recommended along with blankets or beach towels for comfortable seating. Call 514-4135 for reservations and other information.

July 27

July 28

Nansemond County Training/Southwestern High School graduates, attendees, staff, friends and supporters will celebrate a grand reunion from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Paul D. Camp Community College Workforce

10 suffolk living

in the news

Final farewell for Driver Elementary Driver Elementary School music teacher Jeanie Baird leads a crowd of students in a dancing frenzy during the school’s final farewell celebration on May 8. Story and photos by Alex Perry

he clouds were dark and ominous over the Driver community as hundreds gathered around the elementary school on May 8, but there was no rain to spoil the festivities. Driver Elementary School students, teachers, staff and parents were joined by Suffolk Vice Mayor Leroy Bennett, Councilman Roger Fawcett, School Board members and others on the lawn outside of the school. Young Driver Bears sang “Remember Us” and “Nobody Knows How to Say Goodbye,” plus “Amazing Grace” and “Ode to Joy” performed by the fourth- and fifth-grade students. Suffolk School Board Member David Mitnick cut the cake that read “Driver Elementary Celebrates 50 Years Final Farewell,” and the students got their pick of cake or cookies before the proceedings. Kindergartner Gabrielle Hines, 5, and her sister Gianna Hines, 8, both chose cake.

“It’s really good,” Gabrielle said with lemon cake pieces around her face. Driver Elementary School closed its doors at the end of the 2017-18 school year. Students that aren’t set for middle school will attend the new Florence Bowser Elementary School that’s under construction on Nansemond Parkway and is expected to be ready for the fall. Music teacher Jeanie Baird organized the celebration to recognize 50 years of rich history at the school and personally thank the people that made the school so inviting over the years. “This evening celebration is about so much more than just the closing of a school building,” said Dr. LaToya Harrison, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for Suffolk Public Schools. “This is also a celebration in honor of those who have made Driver Elementary School a cornerstone in this community. “This is a celebration of a legacy created by

the many students, alumni, administrators and staff — both current and former — and my hope is that each of you will leave here inspired to begin a new chapter and to build on the great work that they’ve all begun here.” Former principals and students were given time at the microphone on stage, with a handful of Driver Elementary School graduates from decades past in the audience, and also those that attended when it was Driver Intermediate School before 1990. “The first day I came to this school in July of 1980, I remember it well,” said Wilson Barnes, principal at Driver Intermediate from 1980 to 1990. “I was a little nervous. As I drove up, this brick column right over here holding the roof up was crashed down on top of a custodian’s car. “That’s what greeted me that day,” he said with a laugh. He recalled stories of workers in the farmSee DRIVER page 11

suffolk living 11 DRIVER continued from page 10

lands that once surrounded the school leaving plenty of collards for faculty, and of teachers doing cartwheels on the grounds as the last buses left to end a school year. Former and current staff, teachers and School Board members were praised for their tremendous work at the school. “You can’t get a job done if you can’t surround yourself with good competent people, and I was so fortunate during my years here that I had competent people,” Barnes said. Delegate Chris Jones was a student of Barnes once upon a time. Jones grew up in Chuckatuck when it was connected to Driver by the Kings Highway Bridge, which closed in 2005. “I have vivid memories of traveling and waiting for the Lone Star tugboat to take the marl from Chuckatuck over to Norfolk,” Jones said. “I think I was late for school sometimes, Mr. Barnes. You never gave me an excused absence, but at least you didn’t fail me.” Speakers agreed that the school meant more than just a place for public education. For fifthgrader and Student Council President Jordan White’s family, that connection goes back more

than half a century. “My family has lived in the Driver area for more than 70 years,” Jordan told the audience, the microphone lowered to her face. “I’m the fourth generation to pass through Driver Elementary School, going back to my greatgrandmother.” She explained that her grandfather even has pieces of the old chalkboard from the school that her mother, Lori White, principal at Northern Shores Elementary School, enjoyed when she was young. “My mom used them to play school when she was young,” Jordan continued, “and we still use them to draw and play at my grandma’s house. Now my twin sister, Aubrey, and I are the last graduating class of Driver Elementary School. “So, you see the school is more than just a place to learn. It’s a place where memories are made and where families are built.” Greg Parker, owner of Arthur’s General Store in Driver, has plenty of memories from his time growing up at the school down the road from the store ran by his grandfather. He

recalled playing baseball after school with his friends and the beautiful churches still standing today that kept the community vibrant and alive. He held back tears at the podium but still shook out laughs from the crowd thanks to his former pet goat. “One day my pet goat Molly chewed through her rope and showed up at the open door of Ms. Sullivan’s fifth-grade class, where I was,” Parker said. “I’m sure Ms. Sullivan put her hands on her hips, looked at the goat, looked at me and just shook her head as the rest of the class laughed their heads off.” There were shirts that read “We will forever be known by the tracks we leave behind,” and those in attendance were urged to carry the legacy of Driver with them to Florence Bowser Elementary. “We must take what we have at this particular school to the new location,” said Superintendent Dr. Deran Whitney. “We must take the energy, we must take the patience, we must take the dedication and we must take the caring attitudes to Florence Bowser.”

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SWEET

collection

suffolk living 13

Story by Kellie Adamson Photos by Tracy Agnew

rouble sleeping led Lynn Barlow to start collecting PEZ dispensers, and 14 years later she now has roughly 2,500 candy dispensers dispersed throughout her home. Barlow had difficulty sleeping after her first husband passed away, and she found

herself watching “Seinfeld” reruns. One episode of the show about nothing aw Jerry Seinfeld using a Tweety Bird PEZ dispenser to make Elaine Benes laugh during a play, and the rest of the show is centered around the dispenser. That single episode was all it took for Barlow to fall in

love with the toy. Now, Barlow’s obsession is obvious throughout the home she shares with her second husband, Joseph Barlow Sr. PEZ dispensers fill bookcases, display cases, cabinets and drawers throughout her home. She has PEZ dispensers depicting See PEZ page 14

14 suffolk living

Lynn Barlow buys every different kind of PEZ product she can find, from box sets to a giant Incredible Hulk dispenser, left.

PEZ continued from page 13

characters from movies ranging from “Star Wars” to “Finding Nemo.” She’s got a full cast of “Sesame Street” and “The Muppets.” She’s got box sets filled with show characters and presidents. She’s got jumbo dispensers, minidispensers, keychains, bobble heads, a PEZ flashlight, PEZ jewelry and even refrigerator magnets shaped like PEZ. Since Barlow is retired, she has plenty of time to look for new ones and ones that she is

missing from her collection. She knows all the good stores to go looking for new ones, and she keeps notebooks in her purse with lists of ones she still needs. “That’s the first order of business is always to check for PEZ,” Barlow said. Sometimes the months vary, but in a good month, she might purchase 10 to 15 new PEZ dispensers. Every time she goes out for errands, she See PEZ page 15

suffolk living 15

Lynn Barlow's PEZ collection includes presidential box sets — the most recent available is above left. She has several PEZ guides, above right, to help her identify new pieces. PEZ continued from page 14

makes sure to take a peek at what new PEZ dispensers stores may have, and even when she goes on trips out of state. “Twice a year we go to the Outer Banks, and we look at all the stores for them,” Barlow said. “Wherever we go, we look.” The lists even have pictures attached so that Barlow knows exactly what she is looking for. Barlow knows what is coming out, because she receives an online newsletter and a magazine called the “PEZ Collectors News.” Both get sent to her with news about conventions, dispensers coming to the U.S. and new ones joining the collection. The collection is neatly displayed throughout the house, and she keeps a majority of them organized within plastic cases to keep them organized and dust-free. Barlow even had a bookcase specially made for a specific corner of her house to display the “PEZ” dispensers. Barlow even has the Tweety Bird PEZ dispenser that was featured in the Seinfeld episode. Her collection is neatly organized and Barlow, a retired librarian, keeps all of the PEZ dispensers labeled and keeps a book cataloging them. Barlow is known as the “PEZ lady” in her neighborhood, and she is happy to be just that. During Halloween, Barlow passes out PEZ dispensers and packets of PEZ candy to trick-or-treaters. “Whenever I see them on sale, I pick up a lot of them for Halloween,” Barlow said. She’s turning 78 soon, but she doesn’t see herself stopping the PEZ collecting. It’s a cheap collection, for the most part, and she gets a lot of enjoyment out of it, she said. “I’m going to collect for as long as I can,” Barlow said.

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18 suffolk living

The canaries of Penniman Story by Phyllis Speidell Photos by John H. Sheally II

century ago, a small town sprang up on the shores of the York River, thrived for half a dozen years, and then faded into obscure Virginia history. E.I. duPont de Nemours and Company built the town in 1916 to accommodate the 5,000 munitions workers (mostly women) and 6,000 laborers recruited from all over the Southeastern United States to work there in its new munitions plant. DuPont named the town Penniman, in honor of Russell S. Penniman, a company scientist who invented “Extra Dynamite,” an ammonium-based dynamite considerably more powerful and economical than traditional dynamite.

DuPont originally built the plant to manufacture dynamite but spent more than $11 million to expedite converting the original facility to a preeminent munitions plant when the U.S. entered World War I in 1917. Shell storage magazines, warehouses and a changing facility where workers donned safety clothing, supported the eight shell-loading lines and the “booster plant” and were all connected by new rail lines. The town included 200-plus single-family homes and apartments, as well as bunkhouses and dormitories for the single workers. Restaurants, a hotel, shops, police and fire stations, a hospital, jail, bank, post office, rail station, YMCA and YWCA rounded out the town

amenities on 6,000 acres about six miles from Williamsburg. Rosemary Thornton, Suffolk resident, author and architectural historian, uncovered the almost forgotten story of the plant and town and documented it in her book, “Penniman, Virginia’s Own Ghost City.” Impressively well researched historically, the book also captures the energy and life style of Penniman’s resident workers who braved isolation, toxic materials and even the Spanish flu to fulfill what many of them considered their patriotic duty. The Penniman story also has a few ties to Suffolk. DuPont’s first choice for its new plant had

suffolk living 19

been historic Jamestown Island, decades before historians authenticated that area’s connections to Capt. John Smith and the first permanent English settlement. Thanks to a feisty elderly widow who refused to sell her land there, the company crossed off the island site and looked south — to the village of Driver in what was then Nansemond County, now Suffolk. In March 1916, area newspapers reported that DuPont engineers were scoping out the Driver area, and rumors spread of DuPont seeking options on local farms. Later that month, however, DuPont announced its site selection as the land we now know as Cheatham Annex. As the U.S. entered the war a year later, much of the Atlantic Fleet would be stationed close by in the York River. Within three months, the York riverfront was bustling with construction workers as what locals nicknamed a “toadstool town” seemed to mushroom overnight. Until Penniman was up and running, those laborers commuted by rail to the construction site from whatever quarters they could find to rent in the suddenly overcrowded town of Williamsburg. DuPont, the U.S. government and the U.S. Army contracted to have the new shell loading plant and town productive by December 1918 and agreed that the completed heavy artillery shells would not be stored on site but shipped out immediately to the front lines. Operational on June 20, 1918, the plant worked to meet a monthly production of 625,000 75mm shells, 300,000 155mm shells and 100,000 8-inch shells as well as 1.2 million boosters. The shells ranged in size from 20 inches tall and 15 pounds to over 100 pounds. Many of those shells were barged to the former Army Pig Point Ordnance See PENNIMAN page 20

20 suffolk living PENNIMAN continued from page 21

Depot in Suffolk (adjacent to the present upscale Harbour View development) to be shipped from there to the front lines. Canaries “Stuff one for the Kaiser” While construction continued, so did the process of recruiting munitions workers to load and finish the shells. Women were, Thornton said, the then-obvious choice because so many men were in the military, because women had smaller hands, well suited to packing powered TNT into the shells, and because women were thought to be mentally more suited to repetitive tasks. Female recruiters extolled the pleasures of life in the new riverfront town of Penniman and a starting wage of 45 cents an hour. They encouraged women to step out of their traditional roles to work at the plant and support their “boys at the front.” “Stuff one for the Kaiser” became the recruiter’s rallying cry. The recruiters glossed over the military barracks-style dormitories, the round-the-clock eight-hour work shifts and the perils of the work — the potential danger of massive explosions, an outbreak of the deadly Spanish flu and the risk of TNT poisoning. At Penniman, powdered TNT, Amatol (molten TNT) and Tetryl were used to load artillery shells and boosters. The TNT, as finely powdered as talcum, presented the additional hazard of TNT poisoning that could stain skin, hair and nails a dark yellow and turn lips purple, inspiring the nickname “canaries” for the mostly female workers. The canaries could also develop blood cell damage, nausea, dizziness, nasal and throat pain as well as possible liver problems, sterility, bone marrow damage, jaundice and more. The poisoning struck often. Penniman medical personnel recommended thorough bathing, enemas and diuretics as well as drinking large amounts of warm milk to alleviate some of the symptoms, but the long-term effects of the toxins were undetermined. Undaunted, women of all ages, backgrounds and marital status, eager to do their patriotic duty, jumped aboard trains heading to Penniman to join the work force. Much like the better-known Rosie the Riveters of World War II, the women, clothed in mandatory khaki “womanalls” and rubber-soled oxfords, labored on the lines, loading shells until the plant closed. The war to end all wars

With the Nov. 11, 1919, armistice that ended

The history of the town of Penniman was researched by Suffolk resident Rosemary Thornton for her book. the war that supposedly was to end all wars, the plant shut down rapidly. DuPont and the government discharged the Penniman production employees, and in June 1920, began dismantling the plant and town, eventually scrapping or auctioning off the buildings and equipment. The remaining shells, 400,000 of them, went to the highest bidder, a salvage firm whose laborers used high-pressure hoses at the Penniman site to wash explosives from the reclaimable brass casings. Numerous buildings were auctioned, disassembled and rebuilt at new sites including the College of William & Mary, which was gearing up for an influx of postwar students. Some enterprising contractors reconstructed homes from Penniman on new sites near Williamsburg.

Two ingenious, entrepreneurial, stevedore brothers, Bert and Gary Hastings, bought three dozen of the Penniman houses and floated them, intact, on barges downriver, two at a time, to Newport News and to Norfolk’s Riverfront, Ocean View, Willoughby Spit and Larchmont. Another stevedore, George Hudson, brought 20 of the Penniman bungalows and moved them to Norfolk as well. At least nine of those small bungalows found new sites on Ethel Avenue in Norfolk and inspired Thornton to investigate their lineage. That research led her to the story of Penniman. Gone but not totally forgotten

In 1942, the U.S. government, ramping up its participation in yet another world war, picked the former Penniman site for an East Coast See PENNIMAN page 21

PENNIMAN continued from page 20

suffolk living 21

naval supply depot, Cheatham Supply Annex. “I felt an abiding duty — even a calling — to share the story with other people who wanted and/ or needed to know of the Pennimanites’ sacrifice,” Thornton said. “This is the story of people who served honorably during a difficult and dark time in our nation’s history.” about Rosemary Thornton

Originally from Portsmouth, Rosemary Thornton graduated from I.C. Norcom High School where she took courses in auto mechanics. After running a successful appliance repair business for years with her husband in Western Branch, Thornton moved to St. Louis for 10 years, divorced and returned to Hampton Roads, where she remarried and settled in Norfolk. Just over a year ago, Thornton relocated to North Suffolk. Intrigued by the kit houses popular in the early 1900s, she studied and wrote extensively about the Sears, Aladdin, Montgomery Ward and other mail order kits that enabled would-be homeowners to affordably build their own homes — following step-by-step directions with pre-cut parts. A recognized expert on the subject, she has written and co-authored half a dozen books, been featured in numerous magazines and newspapers and has lectured across the country. Her knowledge of early 20th century residential architecture and her curiosity about the small bungalows along Ethel Street in Norfolk led to her most recent book, “Penniman: Virginia’s Own Ghost City,” which is available from Amazon.

Some of the houses from Penniman were transported by barge to nearby cities, including Norfolk, after the factory closed.

Rosemary Thornton is a Portsmouth native who now lives in Suffolk and has extensively researched 20th-century residential architecture.

22 suffolk living

A layout of Penniman from Rosemary Thornton's book.

Congratulations to our 2018 Farmers Bank Scholarship Winners!

Each year Farmers Bank awards scholarships to graduating high school seniors in our area. Visit www.farmersbankva.com/scholarship for more information.

MORTGAGE

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suffolk living 23

where am I?

n each edition the Suffolk Living staff provides a challenge of sorts, testing how much of Suffolk you really know. We photograph some location in Suffolk that is readily accessible and open to the public, and see if you can tell us where it is. If you know where this photo was taken, submit your answer, along with your name and contact information to news@suffolklivingmag.com. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re right, you will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to any one of our partner advertisers. So, if you know where this is, let us know. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re right, you could be a winner. Go out and enjoy Suffolk!

24 suffolk living

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Communities in Schools places highly qualified site coordinators directly into area schools.

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We provide these supports to students across three different tiers. By differentiating our supports, we are able to serve the most students in a school and also focus attention on targeted students that have significant needs.

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“Where we treat you like family!” Ralph L. Howell, Jr., DDS R. Leroy Howell, DDS C. Danielle Howell, DDS Marvin G. Sagun, DDS www.howell.dental

suffolk living 25

through the lens: Myrtle Thompson

yrtle Virginia Thompson, 90, is a Suffolk resident, retired missionary and educator who enjoys her photography hobby, which usually finds her taking photos of flowers. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re always looking for amateur and professional photographers who want to share their views of Suffolk. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to have your work considered, send an email to news@suffolklivingmagazine.com.

26 suffolk living

The Perfect Solution For Keeping Your Suffolk Business Clean.

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We’ll cover the cost of your appraisal! Sometimes it takes a little extra help to get the perfect home. For a limited time, BayPort will cover the cost of your appraisal giving you peace of mind. Focus on what matters most, with a little help from BayPort.

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Pre-School ( 2 1/2 - 4) Through Grade 12

Isle of Wight Academy “A Tradition of Excellence”

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* Isle of Wight Academy admits students of any race, color and national or ethinc origin. Membership eligibility required. Certain restrictions may apply. BayPort will reimburse appraisal cost up to $550 at closing. Offer valid May 1 through July 31, 2018. This credit union is federally insured by the NCUA.

17111CourtHouse CourtHouse Hwy. • Isle of Wight, 17111 Wight, VA VA23397 23397 757.357.3866 • Mark Munford, Headmaster 757.357.3866 • Mr. Benjamin Vaughan, Headmaster

suffolk living 27

Discounts as big as a house. Or condo. Or apartment. Lynch Insurance Agcy Inc State Farm Agent 5911 Harbour View Blvd. Suite 101 Suffolk, VA 23435 Bus: 757-686-9000

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THANKS FOR THE CONFIDENCE YOU'VE SHOWN IN US!

WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE YOU! Dr. J. Ryland Gwaltney

• Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry • Digital Imaging and Photography

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28 suffolk living

suffolk scene

TGIF Suffolk Parks and Recreation’s TGIF Summer Concert Series returned on June 8 with the first of four shows at Constant’s Wharf Park and Marina. Families brought lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy a performance by “The Fuzz Band.” There was plenty of food and drink to go around, as well. PHOTOS BY ALEX PERRY

Ronald and Ethel Hart

Jeanne Butler and Chris Grimes with Garrett Grimes, 6, Sam Grimes, 4, and Max Grimes, 4

Amanda Prescott, Kim Grovesteen and Brooke Norris

Lisa Chavis, Amy Vann, Brooke Bryant, Brandon Sprinkel and Christie McClenny

Kristie Dailey, Sara Szymanski with 5-month-old Tinley and Alisa Ritter with 11-month-old Peyton

Rickeda Fofana and her dog

suffolk living 29

Beer, Bands and BBQ The Crittenden, Eclipse & Hobson Ruritan Clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 18th annual Beer, Band and BBQ festival was held on May 19. Hundreds of people still enjoyed tasty pork and cold beer under the cover of umbrellas and tents against the rain, and there was plenty of line dancing despite the wet grass. PHOTOS BY Alex Perry

suffolk scene

Randy Baldwin, Diane and Jeff Foster

Jesse McKee, Jenna Powder, Leigh Anne Canaday and Jason Leonard

Christy Howell and Marie and Butch Theel

Keith Preston and Lisa Grant

Keith Nierman, Will Griffin, Ron Parker and Challis Nierman

Joelle Edgeman, Debbie Wright, Caleigh Pennington and Sheri Pennington

30 suffolk living

suffolk scene

Family Fridays About 80 parents and children met at the Bennettâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Creek Park tables for free arts and crafts activities arranged by Suffolk Public Library employees on June 22 for Family Fridays. The smell of paint and glue was thick as the kids grabbed pencils, crayons, yarns and paint bottles in a rainbow of colors. Some of the kids made rainbows of their own and others traced their hands, cut out masks or glued together picture frames with popsicle sticks. PHOTOS BY ALEX PERRY

Breeya, 5, and Halle, 4, Harris

Jaida James, 10

Jaida James, 10 with her mother Melanie James and a friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dog

suffolk living 31

Relay for Life Suffolkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Relay for Life went off without a hitch during their makeup date on June 15. Survivors, caregivers and families gathered at Nansemond River High Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s football field to help raise money for the American Cancer Society. Photos by Kellie Adamson

suffolk scene

Survivors making the first lap Edwin and Julie Vargas

Kim Boone, Zakyiah Beale, 8, and Sharry Allen

Bryson Martin, Katie Martin, Zachery DeFreeuw, Kimber-lee DeFreeuw, Matthew DeFreeuw, Christian DeFreeuw

Dana DeFreeuw

32 suffolk living

on vacation It's peak traveling season, and so many of you have taken Suffolk Living along for the ride! At left, Wendy and Amanda Phelps visited Preakness 2018 to watch part of Justify's race to the Triple Crown. Below left, Dixie and Ashley Cox attended the 2018 E3 Conference in Los Angeles, Calif., in June. Below, Wayne Livesay and Rose Bowers, residents of Lake Prince Woods, cruised the Yangtze River on a recent trip to China. If you'd like to be featured in On Vacation, take a copy of the magazine with you on your travels, snap highresolution photos and send them to news@suffolklivingmag.com.

suffolk living 33

on vacation

Clockwise from left: the "Fabulous Eight" from Lake Prince Woods â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Lynn Nelson, John Sulfaro, Marcia Sulfaro, Vivian Simpson, Jean Hoyniak, John Gaddis, Lyn Snyder and Doris Gaddis â&#x20AC;&#x201D; visited Niagara Falls; Joe Weintrob stands in front of the Grand Hotel in Tel Aviv, Israel; Jim Decker, second from left, and Robin Decker, right, visited the town of Waterford, Ireland, and took a photo with Mayor Pat Nugent and his wife, Eileen Nugent; and Judy and Bill Schubert visit the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration.

34 suffolk living

Last edition’s Where Am I? Last month’s Where Am I? challenge was taken from an unusual angle, so we weren’t sure how many people would get it right. You impressed us! Four people made the astute observation that this angle is looking directly up onto the decorative “ceiling” where am I? above the stage at I the Suffolk Visitor Center, 524 N. Main St., that hosts musicians and other entertainers during farmers’ markets. The farmers’ markets take place every Saturday through Nov. 17. Ann Lester was randomly selected from among the four correct answers, and she wins a gift card! Check page 23 for this months’ challenge. suffolk living 23

Smiling is Good for Life

If you know where this photo was taken, submit your answer, along with your name and contact information to news@suffolklivingmag.com. If you’re right, you will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to any one of our partner advertisers.

Jana Boyd D.D.S.

So, if you know where this is, let us know. If you’re right, you could be a winner.

Family Dentistry

Go out and enjoy Suffolk!

LOCALS CHOICE

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P 757-539-1588 • F 757-539-2649 BEST COSMETIC DENTIST/IMPLANTS

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LOCALS CHOICE

2016

2017

Nicole Barr

Fine Enamel Jewelry Collection Each Piece Handcrafted

In House Jewelry Design • Repair • Personalized Gifts & Engraving

1411 N. Main St. Suffolk, VA 23434

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2018

SERVING THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY AND THEIR BELOVED PETS FOR 29 YEARS! Open Daily 8-6 Except Thurs. 8-7 Sat. 8-12

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suffolk living 35

scrapbook

LINE BOAT: The Ocracoke, an Old Dominion Line boat, was one of the boats that stopped at the wharf in Suffolk regularly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Virginia Dare was another of the boats. The Old Dominion Steamship Company made connections up and down the East Coast carrying passengers and freight. From "Suffolk in Vintage Postcards" by the Suffolk-Nansemond Historical Society

LAKEFRONT!

NEAR 58 BY-PASS

SOLD!

$524,900

Stunning 5 BR 4 Bath 3,300+ SF Lakefront home on 2.45 quiet wooded acres with private pier, Dream kitchen & much more! Don’t miss this amazing home!

WOODLAKE

$274,900

This 4 BR 2 ½ Bath 2,300+ SF home is nestled on a cul-de-sac! Huge back yard, deck and beautiful landscaping! Well cared for!

IN-GROUND SOLD! POOL!

KINGS GREENE

$199,900

PITCHKETTLE POINT

$524,900

$429,900

RIVERVIEW

$184,900

Charming craftsman home with 3 BRS 2 Baths and over 1900 SF! Upgraded insulated siding, updated plumbing & electrical and tons of space!

Spectacular Lakefront home with new H/W floors stone gas fireplace, lovely master suite, deck and huge screened porch! Over 2,600 SF!

IN-GROUND POOL!

$309,900

Custom built 4 BR 2 ½ Bath 2400+ SF home with 18’ x 55’ Aegean heated salt water inground pool! Great vacation spot in your own backyard!

SPRINGFIELD

$365,000

Beautiful 4 BR 3 ½ Bath brick home with large kitchen, Utility Room, Central Vac, deck, garage with workshop, and so much more!

SOLD!

OVER 2 ACRE LOT

LAKESIDE

PITCHKETTLE POINT

Open and bright 4 BR 3 ½ Bath home with 3,600 SF, fabulous kitchen with serpentine island, grand 2 story entrance foyer, Heated I/G Pool!

COMMERCIAL!

$357,900

Absolutely immaculate 3 BR 2 ½ Bath home with over 2,400 SF, spacious and open floor plan, double fireplace, beautiful kitchen and huge screened porch! Don’t miss this one!

CORAPEAKE, NC

SOLD!

$239,900

HOLLAND

$74,900

$444,900

HOLY NECK

$289,900

Well built all brick home just minutes from the VA line! Featuring 4 BRS, 3 Baths and over 3,100 SF! this home has lots of room and great country living for a family!

All brick ranch with 2 BRS 2 Baths, eat-in kitchen, H/W floors, spacious family room with gas fireplace centrally located in established neighborhood!

Unique investment opportunity comes with this commercial/residential building in downtown Holland! Downstairs business space and upstairs remodeled apartment!

2 CAR DETACHED GARAGE $177,900

This Cape Cod with 3 BRS 2 ½ Baths and 1,245 SF sits on a 1 acre lot with huge detached garage, covered front porch and private deck to relax and enjoy the outdoors!

SOLD! LAKEFRONT!

BERKSHIRE MEADOWS $249,000

Located on a cul-de-sac, this well-maintained home has 4 BRS 2 ½ Baths and over 2,100 SF with beautiful pond views from the breakfast nook! Minutes from 58 By-Pass!

SPRINGFIELD

Gorgeous salt water in-ground pool is only one amazing feature of this 4 BR 2 ½ Bath 2,700+ SF lakefront home! A must see for those looking for waterfront!

This adorable 2,300+ SF Cape Cod on 3 acres is a little slice of country heaven! With 4 BRS, 2 Baths, FROG that could be 5th bedroom, there’s lots of space!

NORTHGATE

LOCALS CHOICE

2017

2018

330 W Constance Road, Suffolk

We Get home@choreyrealty.net Results 757-539-7451

$289,900

Lovely 2 story home with 3 BRS 3 ½ Baths and over 2,400 SF with open floor plan concept, low- maintenance vinyl fenced backyard, spacious deck with cabana house and hot tub!

suffolkspecialist.com