Truby’s Motor Co. circa 1940.

Over the last 10 years, the Village News has enjoyed bringing local history stories to our readers. The stories have become favorites for many of our readers, and the history we have shared from the early beginnings of the village has come from many different sources with many different memories. Some of our first discoveries were existing homes and churches in the village, their importance from the beginning, and their service today.  On the twilight of our tenth year, one icon of the village is closing its doors, and we would like to share its story in this anniversary edition. The Truby Motor Company business has stood on Old Hundred Rd. for over 85 years; current owners B. D. “Junior” and Claudia Woodard have operated the oldest business in the community for the last 53 years as Truby Motors.  They are taking permanent retirement effective this summer.  Whether or not the establishment will continue as a service center is unknown, but before time passes too quickly, the Woodards would like to share their memories of doing business in the village of Chester. 

Beford D. “Junior” and Claudia are icons in Chester.  They have serviced most of Chester, up until the loss of their gas tanks in 1990, at their business, Truby Motor Co., for 53 years as a service repair center for almost any automobile or truck.  Junior Woodard began his career as a mechanic for G.O. Gladstone Oliver Truby at the age of 20.  He was newly married to his childhood sweetheart, Claudia, who was 16. Born and raised off Beulah Rd.,  now Hopkins Rd., the Woodards, who had been friends since the third grade, began a new life in the Chester, earning a reputation of being hardworking and honest people. The doors are unofficially closed, but memories of the oldest business in Chester reflect a good life for the family.

Truby was a Chrysler and Plymouth Dealer that opened in a wood building across the street from the present-day site, built in 1922 on land that was vacated by the railroad tracks from the Richmond-Petersburg Railroad, which connected to the Bright-Hope Railroad, later known as the Tidewater-Western, in 1917.

It was 1955 when Woodard came to work as a mechanic for Truby. He was known as a very good mechanic.  “Junior was able to tell what was wrong with a car when they drove up and before he opened the hood,” says Ben Dunnavant, a childhood friend and long-time customer of Truby’s.   Ben’s dad, Roy Dunnavant, operated a service station and store on the old Beulah Rd. “He always told me when he died to always take my car to Junior to fix it.”  Dunnavant is complimentary of Woodard’s talent and his service to his customers.  “If my car needed fixing and I was unable to get out, Junior would come to me and fix the problem,” says Dunnavant.

Woodard speaks of the old memories of Chester fondly.  When he started at Truby’s, the village was still a slow, sleepy community where everyone knew everyone.  The sight of the Ruffin farm with cattle grazing was visible from the north side of his business, and at west, Woodward recalls a big two-story that sat across the street where the Virginia Blood Bank is today.  Dr. and Eve Organ’s house still sat where the Christian Bible Store is, and Sanford’s grocery was just on the other side of the railroad where Charlie Sibley is rebuilding his restaurant, Sibley’s BBQ.

Woodard’s reputation of being strong on service with his customers allowed him the opportunity to take over the business when Mr. Truby took ill. In 1960, he began renting the building for $175 per month.  Shortly after, Truby said the rent was going to increase, or he had the option to buy the place, with the Truby’s financing it for 38 cents more per month on top of the rent.  According to Woodard, the shop was paid in full, including the tow truck, in 1964. “The name stayed the same because we couldn’t afford new signs,” says Woodard.

The Woodards raised their family of four boys in the shop and lived out back in a trailer.  Junior Woodard had an old motor in the back of the shop for the boys to keep them busy.  “He would give them a list of parts to take off the motor,” says Claudia. David, Martk, Steve, and John all knew mechanics, but it was Mark who later worked alongside his father in the business.

Claudia became known for the foods and dips she had available for the folks who stopped in to visit.  She always had a pot of soup beans cooking on the oil stove in the center of the main office of the shop.  The neighbors would always be aware when she had her crab soup on the stove.  And through the years, their Christmas parties for regular customers gained a reputation for strong egg nog and serious games of dominos, and stories probably lingered in conversation for several months afterwards.

“Junior was good to the community, especially the fire department,” says G.G. Gwaltney, long-time friend and first fire chief for the Chester Fire Department, now Station One.   “Anything we needed for the fire department, he was always there; willing to help any way he can.” The Woodards gave temporary shelter for the fire truck when the current station was being built.  “He gave us a key to the overhead door to keep the fire truck in the shop to keep it from freezing in the winter,” says Gwaltney.

Gwaltney always helped the Woodards out too, whenever he could.  When it snowed, he was there to clear his lot. Even though not by trade, Gwaltney says he became the boys and Junior’s personal barber.  “The reason they don’t live in a $400,000 house is that he never overcharged people, robbed them, or cheated them.  And lots of time he never charged people for what he did,” he says.

In 1990 with the widening of Rt. 10, zoning laws were being changed, and at one point the Woodards thought they would loose their business.  The county had rezoned their property from commercial to residential.  With community support, they got their business rezoned back to commercial and just to raise a “few hairs,” added a zoning for a junkyard.   A few years later, they also lost their gas pumps due to the state taking frontage from their property to widen Old Hundred Rd. 

Before the doors closed, walking into Truby Motor Co. was like walking back in time.  Few changes were made over the years.  Shelves of car parts line the wall behind the counter where the old cash register sits with old checks posted that were returned from the bank.  Stacks of car manuals support the opposite end of the case that is filled with items for sale, including a great assortment of knives.  Family photographs yellowed by sun and years are scattered throughout, along with favorite knick-knacks that belonged to Claudia’s mother. 

Silent is the corner of the former showroom that once held classic Chryslers and became the gathering place around the table for long conversations with the Woodards.

The sun has set on one piece of history.

lfausz@villagepublishing.com | 751-0421

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