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Kenneth Bryden Nuckols

Kenneth Bryden Nuckols (1918-1982) and wife Anna Lee Wood. Kenneth was the GGG Grandson of Pouncey Nuckols and Susannah Knight. Kenneth was born in Norfolk, VA on 20 Jul 1918 (third child of six and all were boys except the last one) and grew up in a section of Portsmouth, VA called Craddock.   When the doctor made out his birth certificate, he spelled his first name with 2 "i's" instead of with 2 "e's".   Many years later, he went to court and had his named changed so that it was spelled with 2 "e's".   His father, Dorsey Bryden NUCKOLS, known as 'Pop' by his grandchildren, worked at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, located in Portsmouth VA until he retired.   (Kenneth Bryden   was called 'Pop" by his grandchildren and my grandchildren call me 'Pop' today.)   My dad's mother, Myrtle Willie PARTLOW, worked as a reporter for many years for one of the local newspapers, The Portsmouth Star, Portsmouth, VA.   Since she worked for the local newspaper, the family was the first to have a telephone in their section of the city.   From stories told to us through the years, 'Pop' (Dorsey) Nuckols was a stern disciplinarian and made all the children "tow
 the line."

My father told me the story about he and my mother met.   My mother was working in Va. Beach, VA and my dad met her there.   My mother did not want to get married, so she quit her job and went back home to Newton Grove, NC. My dad followed her there.   When he arrived, knocked on the door and asked for her, my grandmother could not understand him because my dad stuttered so badly.   Finally, my grandmother yelled into the house, "Ann, there is a man out here with a quivering chin who wants to see you."   Not long afterwards they were married.   My father did many things to earn a living.   Carpenter, soda jerk and serving in the military (briefly) were some of the jobs he held.   As a result, we moved around a lot; living in Illinois, North Carolina, Baltimore and Tidewater, VA.   He finally settled into the profession of selling cookware and at the time of his death, he had been selling cookware longer than I had been living.
 
 In the latter years of his life, he became very active in Al-Anon, an organization for the spouses of alcoholics.   (My mother was a member of Alcoholics Anonymous, AA).   In that organization he helped many people and the state of Virginia Al-Anon organization dedicated a rocking chair to his memory after his death.   To this day, it can be found in the lobby of the hotel where Al-Anon holds its state meetings in Blackstone, VA.   My father became a better man, father and grandfather as he grew older and in the last
 5 years of his life we had a wonderful relationship.   Unfortunately, there were some areas of his life he has difficulty dealing with.   As a result, he took his own life.   Seventeen years have past from then till now and I still miss him tremendously.   To this day, I love him and am thankful for all he did for me, his son.
 
 by Kenneth Bruce Nuckols 11/19/1999

(Bruce is VP of the NWK)