How Chesterfield students uncovered secrets in this left-behind suitcase

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- Objects don't make history, people do.

A lesson that is now crystal clear to a group of Chesterfield students.

After unlocking the mysteries held within an old suitcase — found at a historic home in Bon Air years ago and stuffed with World War II artifacts — the students and their teacher returned the items to the family of a late sailor from Crewe, Virginia.

In 2019, a friend approached Pam Rockenbach Plas, who teaches social studies at Swift Creek Middle School, with a suitcase they found packed with items, and they did not know who they belonged to.

Rockenbach Plas decided to use the suitcase and its contents as a teaching opportunity for her students.

Three classes worth of Swift Creek students have spent the past five years (with a two-year break due to the pandemic) finding out anything they could about the man behind the objects: Leonard Daniel Kelley.

"I’m trying not to cry because this has been an ongoing project, so it’s pretty close to my heart," said Rockenbach Plas during a ceremony at the school Monday with members of Kelley's family in attendance.

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The only initial clues within the suitcase were Kelley's uniform and a notebook with his name in it. Using property, census, and military records, students not only found out more about his life and legacy, but discovered family ties throughout the country.

“He touched so many different lives," Rockenbach Plas said.

Kelley served in the Navy during World War II and spent decades working on the railroad after that.

Through conversations and records, the students learned the Kelley family was deeply connected to Crewe, Virginia. Despite the fact that Kelley and his late wife did not have children of their own, students were able to locate living relatives who knew and loved Kelley.

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"He was a very giving person," said Kevin Kelly, who is Leonard Kelley's nephew.

Kevin traveled from Houston, Texas, with his daughter to attend Monday's event, which included viewing a documentary produced by Rockenbach Plas' current students on Kelley's life and legacy.

Uncle "Booger" — which was Leonard Kelley's nickname — was beloved by his nieces and nephews, Kevin Kelley said.

“He loved talking to the younger generation. He loved to tell stories," Kevin said.

Several generations of students who worked on the project attended Monday's event and said it was touching to learn more about Kelley and see in person what he meant to those who loved him.

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"You could tell they really cared about him and how much they would remember," said 7th grader Lulu Pelfrey.

“When you really get to this moment, you really see how beneficial it is to the other people, his family members. Some of the things they didn’t even know, they get to know through us, and I think that’s really special," said current student Brielle Ruffin.

"It’s just great to have them be able to see all the work we’ve done. It was a lot of hard work but it 100% paid off," said Lila Spence.

Vanessa Wigfall and Emma Haas are set to graduate from Clover Hill High School in the coming days and were among the first crop of students to work on the Kelley suitcase project.

"When we first started it, it just seemed like a fun project, but I didn’t really know how far it could go," Wigfall said. "Seeing when they got emotional and how happy they were to see someone was bringing back their history, that was really impactful to know it went beyond just the classroom.”

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“Sure this may have been just one guy that worked on the railroads, was in the war in the Navy, but he was still someone in America who was important to somebody, important to them," Haas said.

Leonard Kelley's objects will now travel back home with Kevin Kelley for safe keeping, but Kelley's history lives on in his family and now a few more people.

"I hope they can remember that his life meant so much more than they could see. Even when they’re gone, it’s going to out live us because we’re going to be living these stories," Pelfrey said.

“I want them to make a connection to history that’s not just names and dates, but like you said, it is people. People with feelings, people with family, people with stories to tell," Rockenbach Plas said.

"I would like to say they would inspire other kids and other teachers to do more of this, to know about the history of people," Kevin Kelley said. “Family connections, know where your roots are at.”

The students also created a website to house the detailed research into Kelley's life and the journey to uncover those details . We will provide a link here when available.

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