| Sources |
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 29 Oct 2005.
Anderson "Beetle" Strange obituary
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 25 May 2008.
Pull a wishbone, you might find a treat
Author: David Popiel
It looks like a construction race between Bojangles, Tennessee State Bank, and Arby's in our hometown always looking for tasty food and places to go especially during the Memorial Day weekend.
It has been too long since I've enjoyed juicy broasted chicken at Beetle's, but a recent visit by Dennis Strange to our office caused me to renew acquaintances with his family, and, of course, the great food at the small, rustic roadside roaster off Knoxville Hwy., a mile or so west of I-40. He had called to tell us that the president of the Smokies baseball team is a big fan of Beetle's Broasted Chicken and was paying a visit. Sports writer Steve Wilhoit was there to capture the moment, one of thousands of memories you have and others, many celebrities, who stopped by for a meal. I'll take some time to share a little history most collected and presented by the Strange family, but the real dessert was my "talk" with Anderson "Beetle" Strange's widow, Lillie. You see, it wasn't really a talk on her part because she suffers with Lou Gehrig's disease that sometimes appears by attacking the area of the brain responsible for speech. She was seated in her recliner in the serving area of the small restaurant, while Dennis, her son, was waiting on customers. Rev. Mike Hensley, of Swannslyvania Baptist Church, was getting his chicken fix. Yes, Dennis is also a Baptist pastor so the theory of preachers flocking to fried or broasted chicken appears true. To talk, Lillie Strange uses a magic eraser board. At first I found myself talking slowly and louder, but her hearing is just fine. She walks and uses her hands easily and is in good health otherwise, approaching age 70 Oct. 15. The good news is she lost 85 pounds since 2005 before being diagnosed last year with ALS. It was the year Beetle died of cancer. You've known others who had this disease such as the late Dizz Huffman. I can't confirm it, but Lillie told me that Paul Lee, who died before mid-May with a brain hemorrhage, suffered from the disease.
Lillie's disease attacks what's called the Bulbar region of the brain. She still likes to sew, read, watch TV but must eat soft foods. Dennis told me she has an electronic typing device that converts typed keystrokes into sounds on the telephone, but she doesn't like to use it. Years go, most of my contacts with the family were with Beetle, and there is still a clipping from the Plain Talk in 1994 of a feature we did a year before Beetle's got the Golden Chicken Award from the Broaster Company. You also may know their daughter, Debbie Carlisle, of Del Rio, who is a nurse. Since about Dec. 1963, the family has operated their own restaurant, as I remember it off Morristown Highway at the Three-Way. Lillie said during the first two days of business they served 1,300 orders. You recall the highway was to be changed so the popular restaurant moved in 1981. For a couple of years they served chicken at Baneberry. A large album of photos dating from then to now shows many of the customers over 45 years. A few names Dennis and Lillie quickly recalled from forty years ago and some continuing customers for years included Bud Hance, Ottis Black, Drew and Pat Douglas, Donald Clevenger, who was a taxi driver in the 1960s, and Linda Howard, whose Mom, Jana Lee Hudson worked for Beetle in the kitchen. Dennis shared this list of celebrities who have stopped in Newport at Beetle's: Porter Wagner, Kitty Wells, Rev. Jay Bazel Mull, Windy Bagwell and the Sunlighters, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Highway 101, Buck Trent, Archie Campbell, Janie Fricky, Bill and James Monroe & The Bluegrass Boys, Carol Story & Don Williams, Bonnie Lou & Buster Moore, Carl & Pearl Butler, Dumplin Valley Trio, Homer Harris & his trick horse, Stardust. I forgot to ask if the horse ate the chicken, broasted potatoes, cole slaw or rolls. Even Vice President Al Gore has dinned at the Stranges' home.
The old photos some of which you will see here and perhaps later, when Duay prepares the next "A Place Called Home" edition, were made by Lillie, a photo bug. She used a Minolta 35 mm. This happened to be the first type 35 mm I bought in the late 1970s to use at the Plain Talk. Her life has been one of many experiences and blessings. Do you remember when she worked for Charles Whitehead at Minnis Drugs in 1969? That's where she got her film developed. Her parents were Robert and Zora Owens of Northport. He made his living at the Tannery handling cow hides. For some time the family moved to Cleveland. As she said, "You either made whiskey or went to Ohio." Zora's mother was a Green making them kin to Willie Green. At the recent visit by the Smokies VIPs, Phil Owens was there, because he introduced Smokies President Doug Kirchhofer, to broasted chicken. Phil's father, Cy Owens, was a cousin to Lillie. "He had such a memory about people." (TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK)
It was a Monday afternoon while doing some yard work, probably digging in dirt, when I suddenly wondered how Wayne Buckner was doing. I cringed thinking of how he must have felt falling into the trench at his home, his leg being ripped apart by a ditching machine. The next day, at the Plain Talk, I got a phone call and it was Wayne to talk to me about how he is doing and asking us to help get the word out about an amputee association and his neighbors who have supported him in his recovery. The accident happened Nov. 10 last year and it has dramatically changed his life, but it was good to hear he got his high-tech new leg on Wednesday. He spent six hours in Johnson City for fitting and calibrating its computer brain. I first got to know him many years ago when he worked for Merchants & Planters Bank, later Dominion and First Union. He left and joined Colortech in Morristown. He works in the shipping dept. You know his wife, Theresa Buckner, who works at Smoky Mountain Home Health & Hospice. As he said, he is "over" the accident and obtained some books to give to children at Centerview School. The books present stories of how different people handle the loss of a limb. Wayne confided that during the accident his ring finger was snagged and except for good fortune he might have also lost an arm. He saw such a victim who had lost a leg and arm in a wheelchair and was having a difficult time. After being on crutches for six months, Wayne is ready to graduate to a new leg and more mobility. It is not unrealistic to believe he may hike again, having hiked to Mt. LeConte last year. "I'm not complaining, there are a lot of people in worse shape." I forgot to ask him how his son is doing. I can't remember how long ago it was, but years ago Wayne was out pushing a carriage, it looked to me his new baby was almost full-grown at birth. He is the son of Gaines "Buddy" Buckner and wife, Emogene Buckner, known by many as the daughter of former Newport Police Chief Ike Johnson. Theresa is also from the Bybee area near their Joe Reed Road home, being the daughter of Jack and Reva Dean Rice.
In plain talk, no matter what ailments might beset us and slow us down, there's always a device at hand to enable a better life.
Just Plain Talk - Pull a wishbone, you might find a treat
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 2 Jun 2008.
Beetle's still a place to stop
PHOTO SUBMITTED Motorcycles of Smoky Mountain Rough Riders were frequently parked in front of the old Beetle's Broasted Chicken off Morristown Highway. Third from left is my friend Freddy Finchum. Perhaps you see Dean Ball and others you may know.
Author: David Popiel
Source: The Newport Plain Talk
Farmers burned diesel at a furious rate on hillsides around our hometown to harvest hay and did so before a big rain last mid-week and the locusts welcome in June with their drone.
You recall we visited Beetle's Broasted Chicken and started talking about its history and the Strange family, who founded the business. Beetle died several years ago leaving son, Dennis and widow Lillie to operate the popular chicken take-out off Hwy. 25/70. I flipped through their photo album of customers during the past 45 years and may have seen you.
Some great old photos Dennis loaned to me capture at least a couple memories that you may find interesting. One shows Beetle and Lillie in 1952 standing off East Broadway near Raymond Thornton's restaurant/drug store, now Jabo's. The Stranges were married in 1955. Dennis was born in 1956 and Debbie in 1957. Another photo shows Beetle wearing his white peaked chef's hat. Folks said he looked like Beetle Bailey from the comic strip, and the nickname stuck. He was working at Newport Restaurant where he met Lillie during the early 1950s. Months ago when we visited with Arvis Keys he talked about the Newport Restaurant, which now houses his pawn shop. Charles Pelfrey, of Maryville, was operating it when Beetle worked there. Lillie said before that Otha Baxter ran the popular eating place. There are two photos with motorcycles lined up in front of the Hwy.25E Three-Way Broasted Chicken location. No, it wasn't the Hell's Angels, but the old Smoky Mountain Rough Riders. Dennis pointed out young, thin and fun-filled riders such as Paul Necessary, Dean Ball, Freddy Finchum, Dobbie Welch, and Burl Roberts. A few other riders were Harold Brooks, Jack Sartain, and Waldo Freeman.
Several of the photos showed the old homebuilt Broasted Chicken off Hwy. 25/70 near their home at Reidtown. It was a frame out-building used by children as a playhouse. The small first kitchen still exists at the rear of the current chicken broaster. The front where customers walk in to pick up white boxes filled with hot chicken and fixin's has an interesting history. To remind you there is no restaurant, as it is a take-out only business. The current barn-shaped building first existed off Cosby Highway and was later moved to near the Millstone. Beetle bought it from former Trooper "Catfish" Sams and had it moved by Charlie Crowder. The tiny cookery with American flags fluttering out front has appeared as it is for more than 18 years. I also learned a little about the adjacent gray house where Lillie lives. She and Beetle moved into it in 1961. It seems that a fellow named "Pap" Clevenger had lived there before this and died in a tragic accident. He was pulling into his driveway when his car was struck.
By the way, Lillie also has musical talent. When Arthur Wilkerson began broadcasting at WLIK Radio on the hill, Lillie played guitar and sang on Sundays. That was during the later part of the 1950s. Recently, his son, Dwight Wilkerson, told me the original wood frame studio burned because of an electric short in a neon sign at the station. Beetle and Lillie raised their children next to them, broasting and serving chicken dinners. When she was old enough, little Debbie worked as a carhop. A car driven by an 84-year-old ran into her breaking a leg. She got good care at Allen's Clinic in White Pine. While the restaurant has moved and chicken comes from different providers, the cole slaw recipe has never changed. Pelfrey gave this secret recipe to Beetle. When Dennis revived the famous little chicken spot a couple of years ago, the cooking process using high pressure has never changed. And they still love to see and talk with long-time and new customers.
Today's Beetle's and its family tradition going on half a century is continued by Dennis, who has held many jobs and got to know a lot of you folks. Although he lives in Dandridge with wife, the former Linda Lane, Dennis was born and raised in Cocke County. They have a lot of Jefferson County friends through the Lanes. Brother Don Lane operates Tri-County Ford/New Holland tractor. After Dennis graduated in 1974 from Cocke County High School, he studied commercial architecture and worked briefly with Donnie Shell and Bill Vinson when Community Tectonics was located in the old Newport Federal Building (now the Luke Goddard real estate offices). Dennis helped on some of the World's Fair Sunsphere design, Newport Community Center, and City Park upgrades. He spent a few years at Bush Brothers and then got hired by Dean Williams at Arapahoe Chemicals. In the early 1980s he ran into Rev. Howard Munsey and son James Munsey, who had started Hearthstone Log Homes. Dennis did design work when the company was located next to Jack's Tackle off Knoxville Hwy. When Dean Williams joined Bush Brothers at Chestnut Hill, Dennis returned to work with him until 2000. He also got deeply involved in Christian work and became pastor at Mannings Chapel Church. I remembered he sold cars for Cleo Stinnett at the same time until about three years ago. That's when Dennis put all his extra time into chicken cooking and church work.
At another visit to Beetle's, I saw Casey Dalton, of Parrottsville, buying chicken. She has been a big fan for the past four years. I also learned a little more about Debbie, who is married to Perry Carlisle and lives near Deep Gap Church. He works for Sonoco Products in the paper mill. Their son, Jamin, 27, is a UT graduate. Dennis has two step-children, Shawn Gray, a lab technician at Morristown-Hamblen Hospital, and Sheri Hodge, a nurse at Jefferson Memorial. There are so many stories and people attached to this humble chicken cookery I'm glad to have shared a few.
At the end of our chat, Dennis looked over at his Mom, smiled and said, "I miss your voice." She silently wrote back on her black magic board with white chalk, "I miss it too."
In plain talk it's good to have peace and quiet for dreams on warmer June nights, with an occasional cricket call, but silence forever is not necessarily sweet.
- [S113] Manes Funeral Home, (http://www.manesfuneralhome.com), 29 Apr 2009.
(Died April 29, 2009)
Lillie Mae Owens Strange, of Newport, went to be with the Lord, Wednesday, April 29, 2009 following a courageous battle will ALS. She was preceded in death by her husband, Floyd Anderson “Beetle” Strange, who owned and operated, Beetles Broasted Chicken; parents, Robert and Zora Owens; brother, Bobby Ray Owens; sister and brother-in-law, Jettie and Nelson Hux; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Mack and Ola (Ball) Strange; brothers-in-law, W. L. Kelley, Alfred Parker and Jack Gorrell; and niece, Michelle Owens. She is survived by her son, Rev. Dennis Strange and wife Linda, of Dandridge; daughter, Debbie Carlisle and husband, Perry, of Del Rio; grandchildren, Jamin Carlisle, of Knoxville, Amanda Hill and husband, Anthony of Hartford, Shawn Gray and wife, Christine of Strawberry Plains, Sherri Hodge and husband Randy of Rutledge; great grandchildren, Arabella and Amelia Hill, Andrew and Emma Gray and Alexis Hodge; sisters, Mary Parker, Carolyn Shelton and husband Ralph; brothers, Jimmy Owens and wife Sheila John Edward Owens and wife Patti; sisters, Janice Valentine and Betty Sue Short; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Milburn and Billie Strange, J. D. and Pat Strange, of White Pine; sisters-in-law and brother-in-law, Mildred Kelley, Joyce and Barnett Williams, of Newport; as well as many nieces, nephews, and other family and friends. Funeral services will be held 8:00 pm, Friday, May 1, 2009 in Manes Funeral Home Chapel, Rev. Mike Hensley and Brother Dennis Strange officiating. Entombment will be 11:00 am, Saturday, May 2, 2009 in Resthaven Memorial Mausoleum. The family will receive friends from 6-8 pm Friday at Manes Funeral Home prior to the funeral.
Manes Funeral Home in charge.
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