The Walworthians: Roger and Jessie Keymel
The Walworthians: Keymel, Roger and Jessie
A collection of telephone interviews published in the Wayne County STAR Newspaper and Wayne County MAIL Newspaper, 1994-209
by Kate Chamberlin
Jessie I. Keymel
July 24, 1996
Jessie I. Keymel is one of the people in our neighborhood.
When an elderly aunt and uncle in Walworth needed assistance, Jessie’s Mom offered to move from Scotland to help them. Jessie was 14 and made arrangements to stay in Scotland, but, her destiny was here in Walworth. Plus, her Mom said she had to come, too!)
That destiny had a name: Roger. They met at Wayne Central High School when Jessie enrolled. Their families also attended the Walworth United Methodist Church.
Roger and Jessie were married on September 17, 1960 and have lived within sight of Roger’s birth home ever since.
They have successfully raised three boys, Rob, Chuck and Bill. They have a family they can be proud of.
Jessie and her Mom used to make regular visits back to their homeland. In 1977, Jessie took her teenaged boys to visit family and friends in Scotland. It is a trip they all still talk about.
“I enjoy the camaraderie and support of a small town,” Jessie said. “But, I think I’d be happy where ever I am.
“When the boys were in school, school and church were the centers of my activities. Now the Methodist church is.”
For the past 16 or so years, Jessie has been doing the altar flowers each Sunday and on special occasions.
“My neighbors have gotten used to seeing me cutting their flowers,” she said.
Jessie and Roger currently reside in the late John and Doris Smith’s former home. It has some spring flowers, but not enough to keep the church vases filled!
Jessie is a dental hygienist, dog groomer and seasonal helper on the family’s Christmas tree farm.
Each year, Roger transplants one thousand evergreens to the land his grandparents owned on the Walworth-Ontario Road since the early 1900’s. The 6-inch transplants have grown up and become a successful Christmas tree farm.
“It’s fun for the whole family to search for the perfect Christmas tree.” Jessie said. Hand-made wreaths and swags are also available.
Jessie remembers that even as a teen fresh from Scotland, how surprised she was that people didn’t know anything about the wild plants and flowers in their neighborhood. Perhaps that is why she was such an active, interested and knowledgeable member of the former Walworth Garden Club.
The amount of food that is wasted still surprises her. She and Roger have a small vegetable garden and Jessie likes to can peaches from Morgan’s Farm in Marion.
Her love of Scottish line dancing took root during gym class in Scotland. Dancing was a gym requirement for all Scottish school children.
“The Scottish line dancing we do isn’t the Highland Fling kind of thing,” she explained. “We do the social dancing to fiddle music. Sometimes there is a piano, mandolin or accordion.”
Their group meets once a week from September through June in the Presbyterian South Church in Henrietta. You can call Jessie (524-9205) or attend the open house on September 17, if you’re interested in finding out more about this type of social dancing. Don’t go expecting bag pipes!
In January they have a Burns Night Celebration to honor this famous Scottish poet. “Auld Lang Sinai” and “My Love Is Like A Red, Red Rose” are two of his most famous poems.
By the way, don’t ever challenge Jessie to leg wrestle!
Thank you, Jessie, you are a Walworthian with the accent on worth.
Keymel’s Christmas Trees
December 21, 1995
I’d waited all year long to do it. The time was now right.
I found two little kids, two medium kids and two big kids to go with my husband and me to find the perfect Christmas tree at the Keymel’s on Walworth-Ontario Road.
The two little kids were Tim and Sean Ellison. The two big kids were their parents, Jim and Mary. The two middle kids were mine, Will and Marion.
Bill Keymel met us in the driveway and assured us that our transport back into the trees would be along shortly. Roger and Jesse were there to greet guests, too. The fragrance of pine was mingled with the warmth of friendship and a nip in the air.
We could hear the tractor’s engine before it came into view. Bernie Porray, Sr. was expertly driving the “horses” that pulled the wagon with hay bales on it.
The children sprightly clambered on board as I shucked my dignity and hefted myself up onto a hay bale. With laughter and camaraderie, we were off to the high country and adventure.
Our driver, so kindly and quick, asked us what size tree we wanted.
“Five feet.” “Nine footer.” a hundred feet tall.” rang out the various answers.
He dropped us off at the appropriate location to start looking for the perfect tree.
After we’d each made our choice, Chuck Keymel came over to saw it down for us.
I imagined him with an axe over his shoulder, lining up his swing to fell our perfect Christmas tree.
One quick pull of the chain saw starter cord blew that image!
Bernie returned with the wagon to take us and our trees back down the hill.
Our tree was wrapped and stowed in our van along with an evergreen wreath. We all had smiles on our faces and visions of presents beneath our perfect Christmas tree. As we drove off, I’m sure I heard Bill calling out, “Ho, ho, ho. A Merry Christmas to all!”