The l ad i es o f
Mrs. Duke’s
Boarding House
The Pinecone
|
April 2014
• 7 •
This is a story of 5 Kirby Pines residents who, in the 1950s,
were fortunate enough to be accepted as tenants at Mrs. Duke’s
Boarding House for Women. The Boarding House was at 200
and 204 Stonewall Street at Poplar, a location that enabled
tenants to walk to the Crosstown Sears and the Whiteway
Pharmacy to shop. Tenants who were accepted had to meet Mrs.
Duke’s requirements, namely, (1) did not smoke; (2) did not
wear shorts; and (3) did not have male visitors in their room.
Helen Boyd, Mary Ann Diamond, Bettye Segerson, Wanda
Semsch, and Virginia Walters passed Mrs. Duke’s entry test.
V i r g i n i a Wa l t e r s
In 1930, Virginia was born in Hattiesburg, MS.
She transferred in her senior year of high school
to Maitland, FL and graduated from there.
Virginia came to Memphis in 1948 to work for
the Stringer Brothers Nursery that later became
the Sam Stringer Nursery. This Nursery was
her sole employer until her retirement in 2002.
As she said, she was born to just work…She
was accepted as a tenant at Mrs. Duke’s Boarding House in
1954.
Virginia moved to Kirby Pines in 2002.
He l en Boyd
In 1930, Helen Boyd was born in Soso, MS. In
1947,
she enrolled at Mississippi State Collage
for Woman and earned a BS Degree in Math;
and graduated in 1951. She moved to Memphis
in 1953 to work for the Buckeye Cellulose
Company, as a programmer in the age of
computer systems. She became a tenant of
Mrs. Duke Boarding House in 1953. In 1993
Proctor and Gamble sold their Cellulose Division to private
investors; the new corporate owners ask Helen to remain on
board until they converted to their new computer system. Helen
remained until 1995 when she retired. She moved to Kirby Pines
in 1996.
Ma r y Ann D i amond
In 1933, Mary Ann was born in Marianna, AR.
She attended Arkansas State Teachers College
for 2 years and taught school for several years
before moving to Memphis in 1957. She
enrolled at Memphis State University and
graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree
–
Jacqueline Besteman, Resident
F R I E N D S R E U N I T E D
in Education. Mary Ann lived at Mrs. Duke’s Boarding House
in 1957 and worked at Sears in their Regional Advertising
Department. She and her sister, Dorothy, moved to Kirby Pines
in 2005.
Wanda Semsch
In 1927, Wanda was born in Corinth,
MS. She began her college work at the
Mississippi State College for Women
and then transferred to Memphis State
University in 1947, earning a Degree in
Home Economics. She worked for the
Arkansas-Missouri Power Company,
where her duties included demonstrating
appliances just coming onto the post-WWII market; conducting
cooking classes for those who bought new appliances; and
taught cooking for the Girl Scouts Organization. She became a
tenant at Mrs. Duke’s Boarding House in 1952. In 1978, while
working at Sears as the Cafeteria Manager, her employer offered
a leave of absence plus a grant so that she could return to college
for her B.A. Degree in Guidance Counseling. She continued to
work at Sears as Employee Counseling Supervisor until 1961.
In 1961, Wanda joined the Tennessee State Employment Office
as an Employment Interviewer and stayed with this employer
for 31 years, retiring in 1991. In 2007, Wanda met her second
husband, Arnold Semsch, at the Bartlett Senior Center, they
moved to Kirby Pines in 2009.
Be t t ye Sege r son
In 1932, Bettye was born in Leachville, AR.
Bettye attended Draughon Junior Business
College and was certified in the National
Registry of Medical Secretary, in 1952. She
moved toMemphis in 1955 and lived at Mrs.
Duke’s Boarding House. She worked at the
Poplar Medical Clinic as Office Manager
and Medical Secretary for 40 years. In 1982
she married Edward C. Segerson, M.D. and had a ready made
family with his 4 children. Dr. Segerson passed away in 2006.
Bettye moved to Kirby Pines in 2009.
Kay Duke, owner of Mrs. Duke’s Boarding House, moved to
Kirby Pines in 1988. She passed away in 1997. The circle of
events was complete.
For the 5 Kirby Pines residents it was a chance meeting that
over time segued into a shared story. Some of them volunteer at
Kirby while others are equally active in their church, or provide
care for their loved ones. These residents have been diligent in
enhancing the quality of living at Kirby Pines and elsewhere.
P i c t u r ed l e f t to r i gh t ; V i r g i n i a Wa l t e r s , He l en Boyd ,
Ma r y Ann D i amond , Wanda Semsch and Be t t ye Sege r son
