Betty Keeling
October 25, 2006
I met with Betty Keeling to obtain information on her husband, Bruce Keeling Jr. who was born and raised in the Eclipse, Crittenden and Hobson area, and her life living in Eclipse Virginia. Betty told me the following regarding her husband Bruce, who is deceased. Information on Betty is so noted. by Les Ward
GROWING UP IN ECLIPSE:
Bruce William Keeling Jr.
Bruce was born in 1920 Bruce William Keeling Jr. in 1920 at the old Buxton Hospital in Newport News Virginia. His mother was Helen Moger from Eclipse Virginia and his father was Bruce William Keeling Sr. who was born and raised in Eclipse. Bruce’s maternal grandmother was Martha Johnson Moger from Fox Hill Virginia and maternal grandfather was Captain Dow Moger. His paternal grandmother was Cora Smith, who lost all of her family in the Flu of 1918, and paternal grandfather was William B. Keeling Sr. Bruce had one younger brother Dow. Bruce was married to Betty Carney who was born in Deans, which is now, part of what is now known as Bennett’s Creek. They have four sons; Bruce William Keeling III who lives in Hobson and is a boat builder in Eclipse, Jim, who is a waterman and lives in Eclipse, Jud, who is a contractor and lives in Hobson and Stuart, who is also a waterman and lives in Suffolk. Bruce Jr. as he was known, attended grade school at the old Crittenden School. He later attended high school in Chuckatuck, graduating in 1940. Bruce Jr. first worked at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, and later worked for the Navy at the Supervisor of Shipbuilding at Newport News Shipbuilding. After retiring in 82, Bruce Jr. built a waterfront home for he and Betty that overlooks the Bleakhorn Creek, Nansemond and James rivers.
Bruce’s father was a farmer, so the family moved around the Eclipse, Crittenden and Hobson area while he was growing up. Betty said that Bruce and Dow once lived in the Norma and Sleepy Taylor house on Dixon Drive, a house near Bunkley’s Store in Eclipse, and on various farms in Crittenden and Hobson. They later moved into Dr. Eley’s big three story 1866 house on Bridge Road (behind The Market), which the Keeling family eventually purchased. When he and Betty got married, their first home was the house now owned by the Evans on Dixon Drive. Later, the family moved to Dixon Drive across from Ken Corson Sr. where they raised their four sons. Betty remembers when Bruce and Dow lived near Bunkley’s Store, they had a big dog named Prince.
Growing Up
Betty told me that she was born in 1923. When she was young, her family owned a large truck farm in Deans. However, during the depression, her family lost everything. In 1932, Betty’s family moved to Quinton Virginia. Her father went to work at the Methodist Orphanage where he ran the farm. The family lived in one of four staff cottages at the orphanage. Betty remembers when she was 12 years of age, Dr. Haddock who was the minister of the orphanage asked her to get in his car and drive to town for a loaf of bread. While she told Dr. Haddock that she could not drive, he insisted, and Betty drove his old Ford Flivver to get the bread. While living at the orphanage, Betty met Miss Maude Moore (who became Maude Moger) who lived in another cottage. When Betty’s parents moved to the main Methodist Orphanage in Richmond, Betty remained at the Quinton facility so she could finish high school there. She moved in with and became like a daughter to Maude. Maude had visited the Crittenden area many times with Betty’s family and eventually moved there. After Betty finished high school at Quinton, her parents moved back to Eclipse where her father, Harry Carney farmed many farms in the area. They next moved to a farm on Crittenden Road in Hobson, eventually purchasing this farm in 1945. Betty’s son Jud lived with his grandparents on this farm for a while.
Summers in Crittenden
During the summers, Betty often visited Ann Bagnell in Crittenden Virginia. She would swim and fish in nearby waters with Millie Bagnell, Margaret and Ruth Hunt and Millie Gray. It was on these trips that she met future husband Bruce Jr., and Dow. In fact, Betty told me that she first dated Dow and other local boys before becoming interested in Bruce Jr.
College and Teaching
Betty went to college at James Madison, graduating in 1944. Before joining the Army in 1944, Bruce Jr. would visit Betty at college. After graduation, Betty moved to Eclipse, living in a house near Bunkley’s. She remembers often taking local children swimming off Bunkley’s dock. In 1945, Betty started teaching at the Whaleyville School. At the time, schoolteachers were expected to live in the town where the school was located, go to church there, and be single. It was on a leave from the Army that Bruce Jr. visited Betty and convinced her to get married. After visiting her in Whaleyville, Bruce took her to Eclipse and proposed. Betty had to then go to Mr. White, the Superintendent of Schools and ask for a leave of absence so she and Bruce could get married. Mr. White gave his permission as long as Betty got a substitute teacher for the rest of the year. Bruce and Betty were married by Reverend Hunt from Ebenezer Methodist Church at Granny Keeling’s house. She told me that they then had to go to Ashville North Carolina where Bruce was attending an Army school. Eventually, the young couple honeymooned in Elizabeth City during a snowstorm. Bruce placed Betty’s orchard outside of their motel room to keep it fresh. In the morning, the flower was frozen solid.
Betty later inherited her father’s farm and divided it up among her four sons: Bill and Jud currently live on their sections of the farm today.
Bruce and Dow
When Bruce and Dow lived in the big house on Bridge Road, they would walk to the Crittenden School, often through the swamp when it was dry. Dow, who was two years younger and smaller than Bruce was often picked on by a boy named Elton Goodrich. One day while home for lunch, Bruce took a hot sweet potato that his mother had just taken out of the oven and took it back to school. Upon seeing Elton, who had his back turned, Bruce threw the potato hitting Elton on the back of the neck, splattering it all over the boy. From that point on, Elton never picked on Dow again.
Maynard Corson and Bruce were best friends and did a lot together. Betty said that these two would often just jump out of the Crittenden School windows once school let out and walk home. Bruce and Maynard were always together and often played ball. One day when the two boys were down on Bunkley’s dock, they spotted a rifle wedged under the motor of an oyster boat. They asked the owner if they could have the rifle and were told that if they could remove it from under the motor, it was theirs. Being adventurous, the two boys eventually pulled the wedged rifle from under the boat motor and took it home. Betty still does not know how Bruce got to keep the rifle, but it is mounted on her den wall today (See picture # 1).
Betty said that she and Bruce along with Ernest Hazelwood would often sneak into Lonestar Lakes marl pits (now Lonestar Lakes City Park) and go swimming and diving. While they knew they weren’t supposed to be there, she said that they always had fun. In fact, Betty mentioned the old adage that if someone told you not to do something, it became a challenge to do it.
Army
Bruce joined the U.S. Army in 1944 and was assigned as a quartermaster and sent to the Aleutians in Alaska, where he served during the rest of World War II. (See pictures # 12 & 13).
HISTORY OF THE AREA:
WORLD WAR II:
Betty, who was still in high school during World War II, remembers that there were stamps required to purchase most items. For example, sugar and gas were rationed which required stamps to purchase. When she and Bruce Jr. were about to get married near the war’s end, her grandmother was worried about getting enough sugar to make a wedding cake. However, since she owned a store that sold both gas and sugar, enough sugar was procured to make the cake.
Blue Room
Betty also remembers the soldiers that camped on Dixon’s Hill during the war. In fact, her grandparents who ran the gas station-store on Bridge Road took a back room of their business and turned it into what locals called The Blue Room. This was a canteen for young people in the area where they could meet, listening to the juke box, and dance. Granddaddy Keeling installed six booths and a soda bar where the youth could get an ice cream soda while socializing. The Blue Room got its name from the blue light that was hanging from the ceiling. Betty remembers going to the Blue Room with friends Ruth and Margaret Hunt, Bruce Jr. and Dow Keeling. Betty said that soldiers from the camp would come to the Blue Room to have fun. She also remembers local citizens inviting the soldiers to their homes for Sunday dinners.
PICTURES:
1. Old rifle found by Bruce Keeling Jr. and Maynard Corson.
2. Keeling Home on Bridge Road.
3. Bruce Keeling Sr. and sister Neva Keeling Winston.
4. Young Bill Keeling on tricycle with first Bruce and Betty Keeling’s first home (Edgar Robbins House) and Captain Ed Bush home in background.
5. Bill Keeling and Larry Dixon outside Keeling home.
6. Miss Maude Moore (Moger) at her Quinton Methodist Orphanage cottage in 1940.
7. C.W. Bacon and Bill Keeling.
8. Old Boy Scout picture with Kenneth Corson Sr. on left of picture.
9. Large tree outside Keeling home on Bridge Road.
10. Bill Keeling at age 8.
11. Bill Keeling, age 3 years with Uncle Austin Moger and Granny Martha Moger.
12. Bruce Keeling Jr. in winter garb while stationed in the Aleutian Islands during World War II (1943).
13. Bruce Keeling Jr. while stationed at Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands during World War II (1944).
14. Bruce Keeling Jr.’s second grade picture at Crittenden School.
15. Young Bill Keeling at Granny Keelings home.
16. Dow Keeling on his horse “Beauty Horse,” outside the apartment he lived in at the Keeling House on Bridge Road.
17. Bruce Keeling Sr. (BIG BRUCE) in his centennial dress during Suffolk 100th Celebration in 1958.
18. Bruce Keeling Sr., Marjorie and Dow Keeling.
19. Bruce Keeling Jr. at age 6 months.
20. Miss Maude Moore.
21. Bruce Keeling Jr., age 18 months with Grandma Helen Moger Keeling.
22. Willie Hillyer (Esther Moger’s husband) and friend.
23. Crittenden School in 1920s.
24. Esther Moger Hillyer and friend.
25. Aunt Esther Moger and railway worker.
26. Kenneth Corson Sr., Dow Keeling, Grandma Helen Moger Keeling, Gene Corson, Maynard Corson, and Bruce Keeling Jr. during early 1930s.
27. Bruce Keeling Jr., Kenneth Corson Sr., Vincent Moger, Aunt Esther Moger Hillyer, Maynard Corson, Maxine Moger, and Dow Keeling during early 1930s.
28. Granny Martha Moger Keeling (Dow Moger’s second wife).
29. Corson sisters in 1920s; Minnie, Esther, Helen and Patty.
30. Dow Moger home in Eclipse (Dixon Drive); Phil Dailey’s current home.
31. Esther Moger with dog.
32. John Sewell, Willie Hillyer, and Bruce Keeling Sr.
33. Young Betty Moger and Lawrence Moger (Bunky).
34. Martha Moger Keeling.
35. Patty Corson and John Swell.
36. Explorer Post #43 – Eclipse VA; date unknown.
37. Picture of six Eclipse boys:
a. 1st Row: Billy Keeling (deceased), Vincent Moger.
b. 2nd Row: Dow Keeling, Bruce Keeling Jr., Maynard Keeling.
c. 3rd Row: Kenneth Corson Sr.
38. Cub Scout-Girl Scout Brownie function; date unknown.
39. Boy Scout Troop #43 camping trip; date unknown.