THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 30, 1996 TAG: 9605300588
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover story
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 137 lines
Thad Williams of Suffolk and Thomas Galtress of Franklin are retired from the work-a-day world, but the world of art and crafts keeps them busy as they use their imaginations and hands to create a variety of things.
THE WILLIAMS HOME on Lake Point Road in Suffolk looks like an advertisement for his hobbies: paintings on the walls, carvings on tables, stained-glass displays, jewelry boxes on shelves and a copper cross around his wife's neck.
``People tell me they can't do something,'' he said. ``I ask if they ever tried. They say `no.' I tell 'em, `Try. You never know what you can do.' ''
He began doing pottery four years ago, ``because,'' Williams said, ``I was always fascinated by what Indians did. Most countries have pottery. I decided to join the ranks.''
He took classes at Tidewater Community College, ``free,'' he said, ``because I'm a senior citizen.''
And, he said, ``I try to encourage other retirees to participate.''
He participates in almost anything artsy-craftsy.
``I was 50 when I started painting,'' said Williams, now 72. He does mostly oils and watercolors of water scenes.
It is not just a case of finding something he likes, then tackling it. His work, including his woodwork, is quality.
``I make jewelry boxes out of local wood - briar wood and peach wood,'' Williams said. ``I make cases out of persimmon. I go out in the woods - look and cut. There are plenty of natural resources around.''
A lot of it abounds on the grounds outside his house. There are bonsai plants, cranberry bushes, herbs, kiwi - all surrounded by more Williams work - copper sculptures.
He also built a greenhouse, in the shape of a miniature home.
His home is the centerpiece of his talents, a warm, lovely house he built 12 years ago, and which he shares with his wife, Nancy, whom he describes as ``my most important hobby. She encourages me to keep busy.''
Williams also keeps busy as a collector of stamps and rocks, and as a writer of short stories and poems.
``One night, in 1956, I had put the kids to bed'' - he and his wife have four daughters, 13 grandchildren and two great grandchildren - ``and I wrote a poem about the girls, ``The Perfect Gift.''
In 1971, his creativity reached further back. His poem, ``My Daddy's Hands,'' describes the life of a poor farmer.
A rich part of Williams' life is music. He was a member of the Commonwealth Chorus, and he is a songwriter whose most recent endeavor was a song for the National Guard. He was a part of that organization for 36 years, retiring as a first sergeant in 1983.
``They never had a song,'' he said, proceeding to rectify that situation with ``We Are the National Guard,'' performed recently by the YMCA Community Chorus.
``The Guard is not fully understood by the American people. They're good, devoted soldiers. I hope this song will help people understand it better,'' said Williams, a World War II Army veteran who was on the northern flank during the Battle of the Bulge.
``I was in three different campaigns during the war,'' he said.
Creation, not destruction, is Williams stock-in-trade.
``I used to be a stone mason and a bricklayer,'' he said. ``I built the arches on Suffolk Christian Church.''
These days, Williams has to slow down a little, picking special times to work, ``because,'' he said, ``I have emphysema.''
Still, he keeps busy, explaining, ``there's no need to sit around and twiddle my thumbs.''
Twiddling is out for this retiree. ``There's so much to do.''THOMAS GALTRESS, 88, retired at 65 as a motor grader operator at Union Camp.
Determined not to succumb to boredom, he divides his time between the Senior Citizen Centers on Oak Street and High Street in Franklin.
The results of what he has learned to create crowd his home on Main Street in Franklin. There are woven items, quilts, containers, and countless mini-mini baskets carved from walnut shells and acorns, damson, plum and peach pits, and fingernail-sized cherry pits.
``I gave my wife, Ida, an Easter basket in 1986, the year before she died. It was a jelly bean inside a walnut shell basket,'' Galtress recalled. ``The last five years she was so feeble, but I didn't want her to go to a nursing home. I was thankful I could wait on her. When she was in the hospital in Richmond, I stayed in the same room with her.''
The couple, who were married for more than 60 years, claim three children, eight grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.
Galtress is not sure where all of them are.
Except for his three weekly trips to the Senior Citizens Centers, he usually stays by himself and works on his creations. ``It helps pass the time away.''
He also watches television - but very little of that. He turns on his dusty black and white 10-inch set for his favorite game shows.
``I watch ``Wheel of Fortune'' and ``Jeopardy'' every night. When they go off, I cut off the television till 11 the next morning when ``The Price is Right'' comes on,'' said Galtress. ``I can make four walnut shell baskets while I watch ``Wheel of Fortune.''
The tools of his creations - files, hacksaw blades and a knife - look like fugitives from the back shelf of a dusty antique store.
Sitting on an old couch, he puts the tools on his lap, takes a pit out of a bag and files it - another pit and more filing.
``I done messed that up,'' said Galtress, who messes up a few, but goes on to the next pit, the next little basket.
``See what I done while I was talking?'' he asked, proudly showing off a peach pit basket. ``But I got arthritis in my hands so bad, I can't work on these like I used to. Except for that I'm in good physical shape. I do right much reading. I have to do something to pass away the time.''
Recently, he did show and tell for one of his senior groups.
``I bought in a 100-year-old vase and some boots that belonged to my great aunt'' said Galtress, who has lived in the same house since 1948, a small house filled like a packed suitcase with his creations, books and magazines, unwrapped gifts, lots of clothes and old furniture.
The only bow to modernity is a large microwave oven, but a lot of his cooking is done on a stove that seems to be older than the house.
``I can cook anything I want - venison, pork and beans, potato pudding,'' Galtress said. ``Last week, I cooked a pot of navy beans. I season 'em with pork sausage.''
The stove shares the small living room with his baskets, the items he weaves and some of the quilts he used to make.
``I sell a few of my things,'' Galtress said. ``I give most of 'em away.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by JOHN H. SHEALLY II
Williams likes almost anything artsy-craftsy, including making
jewelry.
Galtress carves miniature baskets from all kinds of fruit and nut
shells.
Thomas Galtress took up carving to pass the time when he retired
from Union Camp 23 years ago.
Thad Williams began doing pottery four years ago, ``because I was
always fascinated by what Indians did.''
Graphic
ON THE COVER
Thomas Galtress works on a walnut carving at home in Franklin.
Staff photo John H. Sheally II. by CNB