Country Connections By James and Ellen Perry
It’s early morning and I’m sitting on my front porch pondering the emigration from Union County, Tennessee, that had been going on since the end of WWII in 1945.
Most immigrated to the northern states for a supposed better life provided by higher paying jobs in factories which had been suppressed in the South since the Civil War.
Until the 1960s, the southern U.S. was an agriculturally based economy. Although most emigrated northward, some emigrated from Union County to a better life in neighboring counties, especially Knox County. Last month’s issue of this publication featured the Longmire family relocating to Knox County and becoming self-sufficient and prosperous. This month’s issue of Historic Union County publication shines light on another family who emigrated to Knox County and settled in the Gibbs Crossroads community.
Joe Keck moved his family from Sharps Chapel to Gibbs in Knox County during the mid-1960s. In 1969 a son was born and given the name of Joe Keck II. During Joe Keck’s third year of life, he lost his father to a workplace accident.
Joe Keck Sr. was killed as a ditch caved in on him at a work site. During the mid-1970s his widow Jewell married James Nicely. Joe said he felt very fortunate to have James Nicely as his stepfather. He was always there for his family when needed.
Joe has a sister Wendy who today lives next door to Joe. Joe had a normal rural East Tennessee boyhood, squirrel hunting and working on farms in tobacco and probably hay, which gave him spending money.
In 1984 at age 15, Joe restored and upgraded his dad’s 1953 Ford F-100 pickup truck. Joe replaced the flathead engine with a 5.3-liter LS engine and a 9-inch rear end to handle the new power. During his Gibbs High School years Joe II began restoring classic antique cars for others, through his Hot Rod’s Paint & Body Shop.
Joe and Sonya Keck married in 1993 and in 1995 had their first born they named Eli Keck. Along about this time Joe started a new business venture called Hot Rod’s Towing based at his home in Gibbs Crossroads. Today Hot Rod’s Towing has four rollback trucks and two wreckers. Hot Rod’s Towing is a 24-hour service and will go anywhere in the U.S. on call. Hot Rod’s Towing will haul autos, trucks, farm tractors bobcats, small construction equipment and small buildings. The phone number is 865-689-1029 24 hours seven days a week.
In 2000, Joe and Sonya Keck were blessed by a new member to the Keck family. Her name is Josie. Josie is now grown up and has her own business at the corner of Emory Road and Tazewell Pike. It is called Hair by Josie.
Joe and Sonya Keck now have an almost complete family with the addition of their granddaughter Lil’ Tater Keck whose real name is Tatum Grayce Keck. Joe intimated to me that it’s time for another grandchild. Maybe a boy. Get the picture Eli. Your dad has two knees, one for Lil’ Tater and one empty.
Well, Joe’s nickname is Hot Rod which he came by naturally. Joe started racing classic stock cars at the age of 25. His first stock car was #8 which he called “Bad Luck.” It had a 305 Chevy motor in a 33-34 body showing #8 on the sides. Eli started stock car racing at the age of 14 and is still racing today.
Richie Overholt, Joe’s sister’s son, started racing at the age of 18 at Tazewell Racetrack. Joe, Eli, and Richie have raced at all local East Tennessee tracks and at most southeastern tracks. Joe said they all have plenty of trophies they’ve won over the years.
In 2005 Joe started a new business in Gibbs Crossroads called Hot Rod’s Auto Sales. Joe sells good clean mid to late model cars and trucks. Hot Rod’s Auto Sales is open from 10 a.m. ‘til 6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday. Joe’s “Boss Lady,” as he puts it, started work with Hot Rod’s Auto Sales in 2018 as the advertising manager and was, over time, given more responsibility. Her name is Lisa Graybeal, and she handles auto sales and writes up sales contracts; and if no one else knows the answer, Lisa does.
Lisa was employed for 12 years by Knoxville Pediatrics as assistant administrator before joining Hot Rods Auto Sales at Gibbs Crossroads. Lisa’s married to Kenneth Graybeal who drives for Meyers Distributers, which is a car parts distributor. Lisa has two children.
Except for Lisa, Joe Keck’s businesses are run and managed by family members. This family relationship again proves that families that work together accomplish more. By the way, I got the impression this family is Christian.