Norris Family Gift Supports Lectures

The family and friends of Betty Grubb Norris, who died Dec. 20, 2017, at age 93, have made a $3,500 donation to the Historical Society of Western Virginia to support the Kegley Lectures program. The donation allows the Society to offer its regular lectures free of charge for a year and to expand its offerings. Lectures have always been free for Society members, but had a $5 admission for others.

Norris, an avid golfer who played a couple of weeks before her death, had a long history in community involvement. She was an active member of South Roanoke United Methodist Church and President of the United Methodist Women. She belonged to the former Roanoke Symphony Volunteer Auxiliary, Thursday Morning Music Club, the General Federation of Women’s Club of Roanoke and the Military Officers Association of America. She was a past President of the Roanoke Country Club Women’s Golf Association and served as a Girl Scout leader for more than 20 years. And, she was a long-time supporter of the Historical Society.

Her lineage includes the Lewis Lindamood and Henri Grubb families from Wythe County, Va. Her family operates a third generation trucking company. Survivors include her four children and their spouses: Barbara and Gary R. Duerk, Nancy and Henry H. Seagle Jr., Harry G. and Natalie Sampson Norris, and Betty Ann and James D. Tyree and 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

The Kegley Lectures are named for the George and Louise Kegley family. George Kegley is an emeritus member of the Society board and organizes the lectures.

Most lectures are held at Christ Lutheran Church in Roanoke, but occasional ones are in the theater at the History Museum of Western Virginia and the O. Winston Link Museum in the former Norfolk & Western passenger station on Shenandoah Avenue across from Hotel Roanoke.

October Lecture Introduces George Wythe

On Wednesday, Oct. 24, at 7, Chris Hull, retired interpreter at Colonial Williamsburg, will appear as George Wythe, signer of the Declaration of Independence, teacher of Thomas Jefferson, dean of colonial Virginia lawyers and mayor of Williamsburg.

Hull, an accomplished actor who worked at Colonial Williamsburg 10 years, lives in Pulaski in retirement.

 

Historian John Selby Talks on Gen. Meade

The November lecture will feature John Selby of the Roanoke College history faculty discussing his new book on the military leadership of Union Gen. George G. Meade. Meade was the winner of the Battle of Gettysburg and commander of the Army of the Potomac.

In Meade, The Price of Command, 1863–1865, Selby portrays a general managing a large army amid a treacherous political environment. According to a description of the book, “Meade’s time as commander began on a high note with the victory at Gettysburg, but when he failed to fight Lee’s retreating army that July and into the fall of 1863, the political knives came out. Meade spent the winter of 1863–64 struggling to retain his job while the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War sought to have him dismissed. Meade offered to resign, but Grant told him to keep his job. Together, they managed the Overland Campaign and the initial attacks on Petersburg and Richmond in 1864.”

Selby, a Civil War scholar, speaks on Wednesday, Nov. 28, at 7 p.m. Selby helped the Historical Society of Western Virginia publish the book Civil War Talks.

All lectures are at Christ Lutheran Church, corner of Brandon Avenue and Grandin Road, Roanoke. Members have already gotten in free, but because of a generous gift from the family of the late Betty Norris of Roanoke, lectures are now free to everyone. The society invites donations, of course. Light refreshments are served.