Lunsford “Luns” McKinny Alston Jordan (1890 – 1973)
Luns served as an ambulance driver during WWI in France with the Army medical corps and was with the first American unit to go to France to serve in the trenches…
Daniel Anderson, Sr. (c.1936 – 2010)
Dan proudly served his country in the U.S. Navy and retired with 27 years of service. He then continued his career with the Norfolk Public Works Center, civil service, and completed 20 years of service. Dan was a member of the American Legion and was a member of the VFW, Tidewater and Post 49, Smithfield…
Samuel Peele Jordan, Jr. (1942 – 2006)
He was a proud and active member of the Virginia Military Institute Class of 1964. His experience at VMI shaped his life and instilled the values of integrity, loyalty, honor and service to country that guided him throughout his life. After graduating from VMI, Sam joined the U.S. Air Force, serving first in Vietnam at Cam Rahn Bay, and then in Madison, Wis., where he met his wife, Mary Jo Anderson…
Walter Elmo Bloxom, Jr. (1923 – 2005)
He attended Smithfield Elementary and graduated from Smithfield High School, later attending and graduated from Newport News Apprentice School. He served our country for two years as a tug boat captain in the Army during WW II…
Shirley “Jack” Henry Finley (1923 – 2018)
He served in the U.S. Army in Europe during WWII. He was retired from Newport News Shipbuilding. He was the oldest living member of the Smithfield VFW, where he was a past commander, and The Smithfield Volunteer Fire Department, where he served in the position of Captain and was awarded the title of Honorary Chief in 2010…
William Averell Arbogast (1930 – 2016)
He was drafted into the Marine Corps in 1951, and served for one tour. Upon leaving the military, Bill married Phyllis McClung, his loving wife of 63 years…
Glenn Aubrey Hoy (1934 – 2017)
Glenn served his country in the Navy, attended Penn State University, and retired from Newport News Shipbuilding after 38 years…
Archibald Atkinson (1792 – 1872)
Atkinson was born on September 13, 1792, in Isle of Wight County to James Atkinson and Mary Atkinson. The father’s occupation is not known, but the family’s modest resources provided for only a limited primary education for young Atkinson…
Recognizing The Strength of Our Community: A Letter to Our Supporters
Over the past few months, the difficult decisions we have all had to make and the stressful times that have united us, have put the meaning of “community” into perspective for me. We are all part of many communities, both small and large, that connect us and influence our lives every day…
A Polio Epidemic and the Unflappable People of 1950 Wythe County, Virginia
During the Summer of 1950, Wythe County, Virginia experienced a polio outbreak that quickly spread, becoming one of the worst per capita epidemics of polio in U.S. History. The death rate reached almost 10% that summer, roughly twice the country’s average at the time. Despite medical advancements since then, including the creation of the first effective polio vaccine in 1952, the reason why Wythe County experienced such extreme cases of polio remains a mystery…
Recent Comments