Roy Wyete Kanode was born and raised in Christiansburg. He attended the Christiansburg public schools and graduated from Virginia Tech in Electrical Engineering in 1965. After earning his Master’s Degree at Virginia Tech and completing advanced studies at Duke University, he spent a long career in the telecommunications industry. He enjoyed assignments in engineering, planning, and sales that exposed him to the cultures of North Carolina, Washington, D. C., Maryland, New Jersey, and Colorado. After retiring from the corporate world, he returned to Christiansburg and now works as a volunteer at the Montgomery Museum. He views this book as a service to the community.

Gene Morrell is a journalist with almost 30 years experience as an editor and reported in Christiansburg, Virginia. He is a graduate of East Tennessee State University with a bachelor's degree in journalism. He is a Vietnam War veteran who served two years on active duty as an Army lieutenant, including a one-year tour in Vietnam with the 25th Infantry Division. After two years on active duty, he served another 19 years in the Army Reserve, retiring at the rank of major. His writing is dedicated to preserving the local history of the community and of its people.