Sobel, Valk, and the American Dream.

By Jeff Fleming, KingsportSpirit.com
as published in the Kingsport Times-News
March 26, 2023

Kingsport lost two iconic names last month–Norman Sobel and Sarah Valk.

With so many trying to divide us these days, it’s important to remember that Kingsport was founded as a melting pot of people from around the region and around the globe.

It was a new city with new opportunities. Everybody was a newcomer—it just depended on how far away you moved.

Whether you were Christian, Jew, Druze, Syrian, Lebanese, or other—what mattered most was your willingness to embrace the American Dream, start fresh, work hard, and build a community that supports each other’s families and allows them to flourish.

Many were fleeing places overseas that were exactly the opposite. Your economic future—and perhaps your life—could be jeopardized by your religion or ethnicity.

In the early 20th Century that activity was mostly limited to Europe & the Middle East, but today that would include families from other parts of the globe.

Morris Sobel, Norman’s father, was born in Poland in 1901. He is buried in the B’Nai Shalom Cemetery in Bristol, Virginia. His headstone identifies him as a Levite, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. He came to Kingsport to run “The Economy Store” on Broad Street in the mid-1920s, where you could buy on credit for the same price as cash. This was an important new concept because it was the height of the Great Depression. He traveled to New York and brought back the latest in fashion. By 1931, it was being advertised as Sobel’s Economy Store. In 1932, it expanded from the east side of Broad Street to the west side. By 1933, it was just “Sobel’s”. On October 16, 1940, he registered for World War II to defend his new country at the age of 35. Shortly after that, Sobel’s moved to its final destination, 200 East Center Street.

Norman grew up at 1385 Catawba Street and yearbook photos from the 1950s indicate he was an All-American kid. He was involved in scouting, Key Club, and many school activities. He served two years in the U.S. Army, where he met his Danish wife, Hanne, while stationed in Germany. Like many postwar couples, they started their married life on Garden Drive and raised two beautiful daughters. He took over the family business. Generations of Kingsport sons worked for him and learned about dressing for professional success. He was an enthusiastic advocate for Kingsport, specifically downtown. When he and Peggy Turner of the Downtown Kingsport Association got on the same page, look out. You did not want to get in their way.

When the American flags displayed along Center Street and Fort Henry Drive needed to be replaced and the American Legion was struggling to come up with the funds, Hanne & Norman were the first to step up with a big check. Hanne sent me a personal note describing her recollection of the American troops liberating her Danish village after World War II. She said she had never forgotten that moment and was honored to be able to give back to a country that had given so much to them.  

The Sobels retired and closed the store in January 2000. They remained in Kingsport until the past few years when they relocated to the Nashville area to be near their daughters.

Saartje (Sarah) Valk came to Kingsport in 1950 with her husband, Auke, to work as gardeners for C.P. Edwards, Jr., developer of Ridgefields. They were 22 years old. She was from the village of Monster and he was from nearby De Lier, South Holland, a coastal community near Rotterdam and The Hague, which were recovering from the ravages of World War II. So, the young couple took advantage of an opportunity to pursue their own American Dream and a future for their yet-to-be-born family. As home to the Federal Courthouse, the Greeneville newspaper celebrated their citizenship in 1957 as it did many immigrants throughout the region. Sarah expressed her pride that they took English classes three times a week and forced themselves to speak it at home so their children wouldn’t struggle as they did. The Valks were charged with operating Edwards’ Ridgefields Nursery in 1954. Twelve years later, they purchased the business and renamed it Evergreen Garden Center. They were frequent guests at civic and garden clubs, educating the community about gardening, landscaping, trees, and flowers.

They raised six children who raised 11 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Many of the Valk descendants still reside in the region.

One thing’s for sure, Kingsport is a better place because of hardworking people like the Sobels and Valks.

As the future chapters of our community are written, it’s important to acknowledge those who came before us and built this city that so many of us love.

In 2019, Jeff Fleming retired as city manager after 35 years of service. He is a local history blogger for KingsportSpirit.com and a board member of Friends of the Archives. To learn more about joining the Archives or donating memorabilia, please write to him at jeff.fleming.kingsport@gmail.com or visit the Archives on the 5th floor of City Hall.