DOWN MEMORY LANE

Mr. Laing attended Taft School in Watertown, Conn., from 1953 to 1957. Following that, he attended Cornell University, Ithaca, New York and graduated in 1961 with a Bachelor of Science degree in animal science. While at Cornell he was a member of Psi Upsilon fraternity and was its president his senior year.

He did post graduate work at Virginia Polytechnic Institute in 1961-62, then attended veterinary school at the University of Georgia in Athens from 1962-66, at which time he received his DVM degree. At the university he was a member of Omega Tau Sigma fraternity and served as its president. He was also class secretary and an executive officer of the Honor Court.

Dec. 23, 1998

Hackley’s Store will close for businesses on Christmas Eve, ending 64 years of continuous operation for the general merchandising store in Amissville. However, the Hackleys said it will likely reopen in March under different management.

The store’s closing will mark the end to three generations of the Hackley family business, which is like a mini-Walmart, selling take-out food, groceries, clothing, boots, tools, gas and propane.

“It's going to be a sad day,” said owner Ron Makela the closing on Thursday.

Makela and is wife, Janet, have run the store for the past about eight years. She is the daughter of former owner, Emmett Graham Hackley, commonly known as “E.G.” Formerly a captain in the Virginia Beach Fire Department, Makela said he met Jan when she was working as a teacher in Virginia Beach. She now works for the school system as the volunteer coordinator. Except for being definite about staying in Amissville, he said his plans are otherwise uncertain.

The reason the family made the decision to close was based on several factors, Makela said. The 13-hour days and six-day weeks was the first reason that he mentioned.

“It has been an enjoyable experience,” but the family wants to have more free time, especially time to travel with their 9-year old son, Joshua, he added.

The main item of business before the Rappahannock County Planning Commission last week was the application by Kathleen Maier for an herbal studies center.

The commission recommended approval of the application to the Board of Zoning Appeals.

Maier had applied for permission to operate the Dreamtime Herbal Studies Center on land owned by Sunnyside Farms, LLC. The school will run from March through November, is limited to 20 participants and has a one year limit. Maier had operated the center near the site in 1996 and 1997. This year they will be using the “yellow house” on the property as a base of operations.

The application had health department and VDOT approval and letters of support for the center were included as well.