A&P Tea manager retires

“I’ve been a gypsy too long to stay put,” said J. W. Jasper happily as he retired Wednesday as office manager of the National Produce division of the A&P Tea Company here.

As a matter of fact, he and his wife are leaving Tuesday for Orlando, Fla. for the winter.

After that? “Our home will be where we want it to be.”

They have already bought a new car for the trip.

They’ve sold their furniture, cut their last ties, and are ready to move out.

The retirement isn’t effective until Feb. 1, but the Jaspers are taking a two-month vacation.

Jasper has been with A&P for 26 years, but only the last eight of those years have been in Suffolk, where they’ve made their home at 550 First Ave.

A native of Texas, he first started with A&P in 1939 with the National Produce Division at Harlingen, Texas, on the edge of the Rio Grande.

Along with a lot of “gag” gifts and good humor Wednesday, Jasper’s fellow workers presented him with a new television set as a going-away present.

Junior Corps welcomes new members

Mrs. William Earl Russell, Jr., president of the Junior Volunteer Service Corps, welcomed five new members into the Corps at its meeting Monday night.

These were Mrs. Robert Gillette, Mrs. Robert Harrell, Mrs. John Harrell, Mrs. Martha Ann Dobins, and Mrs. Richard Culpepper.

The Howdy Hostess committee reported 30 trays delivered to newcomers in Suffolk during the past year.

It was also announced that the corps will sponsor the Smithfield Little Theater in Suffolk on March 17 and 18.

Two new members, Mrs. John Council and Miss Randy Veneable, will be invited to attend the next meeting.

Carrsville scouts attend Camp Seegar

Eleven boys of Scout Troop No. 37 in Carrsville spent the weekend at Camp Seegar on the J. Clinton Bradshaw farm, where they participated in a Junior Leaders Training Course.

A total of 47 boys and leaders attended the weekend program.

Those from the Carrsville troop were John King, Joel Bradshaw III, Joe McClenney, Joe Jernigan, Mark Rose, Donnie Bradshaw, Edward Kinney, Jr., Carrol Carr, Chris Barrett, Jimmy Daughtrey and Mike Johnson.

Leaders from Carrsville were Edward Kinney, Sr., Joel Bradshaw, Jr., and William H. Barrett.

Civic league seeks better Route 17

The Bennetts Creek Civic League has written a letter to Virginia Governor Albertis S. Harrison requesting improvement projects on Route 17 be carried to the Nansemond River Bridge.

According to the letter, the improvements are now scheduled to terminate slightly more than four miles from the western limits of Chesapeake.

The letter says, “the portion of the highway which is being overlooked, seems to be the most dangerous part of the highway between the city limits of Chesapeake and the Nansemond River Bridge.”

The letter points out accidents are frequent on this road, including several fatalities.

The letter concludes, “residents in the immediate area, and of surrounding areas, strongly recommend that, as part of the Governor’s Highway Safety Program, this oversight be corrected immediately.”

The letter was signed by Charles M. Brooks, president of the Bennetts Creek Civic League.