Sussex-Southampton County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Pond, Homer "Jack" R., 2010 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ HOMER "JACK" ROLLINGS POND HOMER R. "JACK" POND, PEANUT FARMER, DIED AT 77 He Was Virginia's Top Per-acre Producer Six Times When Homer R. "Jack" Pond died something, he gave it everything he had. The Southampton County native and lifelong resident wasn't just a peanut farmer; he was a champion peanut farmer. From the mid-1980s to the mid '90s, he was a six-time Virginia Peanut Production Champion, harvesting more of the tasty morsels per acre than any other farmer. He was a sharpshooter, and his marksmanship won championships. As a member of the Ruritans he was named Ruritan of the Year. He was a member of Wakefield Methodist Church. Two decades ago he was instrumental in the church's expansion, and just days before his death he was helping with custodial duties. Mr. Pond died Dec. 12. He was 77. A memorial service was held Dec. 15 at his beloved church. His daughter, Betty Pond Beale of Southampton, said her father never stopped striving to make his land the best possible farm. "He was one of the first to use irrigation," she said. "He was one of the first to invest in the big tractors. He was always looking for ways to be a more efficient farmer. He was very progressive." Gary Cross, 30 years younger than Mr. Pond, has for years worked land owned by Mr. Pond. Cross said he learned much from his landlord and friend. He said Mr. Pond built the ponds that held the water to irrigate his peanut crop and that having the water sometimes made the difference between a modest crop and a great drop. He said farmers shoot for a yield of 4000 pounds per acre. "Everybody wants to be in the Two-Ton Club," Cross said. "Jack's yield was 4500 to 5500 pounds. Cross said Mr. Pond was one of the first to use no-till farming. "It had just started to be used in the 1970s. He researched it and understood it. Now it's common, but at the time he was on the cutting edge. Cross said Mr. Pond was opinionated, honest and unapologetic. "Not everybody agreed with him all the time," Cross said. "He wouldn't try to soften things just to make you feel good. You know where he stood." A Korean War Army veteran, Mr. Pond didn't attend college, but he was a lifelong learner and prized education. He worked with Virginia Tech on projects designed to improve peanut farming. His daughter said he recently experimented with a new peanut as part of Tech Program. "A bear really liked what he was growing," she said. "The bear dug up the whole crop - just that variety, nothing else - and ate every one of those particular peanuts. "The folks at Tech said it was a really sweet peanut. My dad laughed about the bear's good taste." Mr. Pond was a major supporter of the Southampton Heritage Village and Agriculture/Forestry Museum, a 10 acre site that preserves items from the first half of the 20th century. "Whenever school groups would tour the museum, he would give the tours," his daughter said. "He wanted children to understand the history that he knew firsthand." That high priority for education included his family. Beale said he has provided for the college education of his four grandchildren. In addition to his daughter, Mr. Pond's survivors include his wife, Barbara Jean Seeley Pond of Southampton; a twin brother, Harold "Jill" Pond of Sussex; a sister, Josephine Pond Stephenson of Sussex; and four grandchildren. ****************************************************************************** HOMER "JACK" ROLLINGS POND Homer "Jack" R. Pond, 77, passed away on Sunday, December 12, 2010. A veteran of the Korean Conflict and six time State Peanut Production Champion, Jack spent his whole life in Southampton County. He is remembered as a devoted father and grandfather and a faithful member of the Wakefield United Methodist Church. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lonnie and Ella Pond; his son, William "Bill" Pond; his brothers, Hudson and Judson Pond; and his sister, Elizabeth Goodrich. Jack is survived by his wife of 52 years, Barbara Jean Pond; daughter, Betty Pond Beale, and four grandchildren, Willie Beale, Ella Beale, Austin Pond and Tristan Pond; his twin brother, Harold Pond; and his sister, Josephine Stephenson. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, December 14, 2010 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Purviance Chapel of J.T. Morriss & Son Funeral Home in Wakefield. A service will be held at the Wakefield United Methodist Church at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, December 15, 2010. Burial will follow in the Wakefield Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the Wakefield United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 87, Wakefield, Va. 23888. Homer Rollings "Jack" POND, Army veteran of Korean War, peanut farmer, b. 5 Jun 1933, Southampton Co., d. 12 Dec 2010, Franklin, interred in Wakefield Cemetery*, 15 Dec 2010, "Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch," Dec. 13, 2010; donated obit, a portion posted with Find a Grave Mem. #62880697 *His in-laws, Ralph E. & Pearl L. (ROGERS) SEELEY, are also buried there. Wakefield list, an extension of the Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/sussex/cemeteries/wakefd.txt His parents are buried in Rosemont Cemetery, Sedley. SCHS Cemetery Project, Rosemont list (S-54): http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/cemeteries/rosemont.txt His twin's (donated, 2016) obit is posted at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/obits/p530h5ob.txt Their mother's obit ("Smithfield Times," Oct. 5, 1983, p. 6) is posted at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/obits/p530e4ob.txt Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), and re-formatted by File Manager Matt Harris. file at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/sussex/obits/p530h4ob.txt