Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 20, 1993 TAG: 9301200122
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: HAMPTON LENGTH: Medium
SHE JUST HAPPENED TO PICK UP THE PHONE
Something tugged at Kimberlee Burton's memory as she listened to Kenton Belle Sr. spell his last name.Burton, an operator at Virginia Natural Gas in Newport News, was taking information from Belle so he could receive gas service at his new apartment.
"The `e' on the end triggered something," she said. "And when I saw that his Social Security number started with 21, which means you were born in Maryland, I asked him if he was from Maryland."
The clincher was when he said his mother's name - Lillian Loclear Cornish Belle.
The two realized they were siblings who had been separated when Burton was given up for adoption 27 years ago.
"Years go by and you just forget about things. And then, all of a sudden, I call Virginia Gas, and I find out this lady is my sister," Belle said.
Burton said she cried for hours after she took his call Monday. Several hours after their telephone call, Belle, 33, and Burton, 27, met that night at a local mall.
Belle was standing at the entry to the mall's food court when he got his first glimpse of Burton. She ran up to him and almost knocked him down with a bear hug. When brother and sister stopped hugging, all they could do was look at each other and grin.
"Thank you so much, Lord," Belle said.
The two marveled at their luck in meeting, because more than 20 people were working in the customer services office of Virginia Natural Gas when Belle called.
In addition, the name of the mother was Burton's only tie to her birth family.
Burton, one of 18 children born to James and Lillian Belle, was adopted when she was 5 days old.
The Maryland family who adopted her allowed her to keep her family name.
Belle said his late father worked several jobs in hopes of being able to afford a house for the family, but he was unsuccessful.
He said the Baltimore Social Services Department determined that Belle and the other children would be better off in foster homes.
Kenton Belle moved to Virginia after being released from a Maryland prison in 1989. He said he wanted to get a fresh start on life and live closer to his three sons.
Burton moved to Virginia six years ago after marrying a man from the Hampton area and settling in Newport News. She said she has spoken to two sisters, a brother and her mother since Monday. She plans to meet her family in Baltimore next month.
Thirteen of her 18 siblings are now living, Burton said. She did not know how five of them died. Burton said she doesn't know where her other siblings are, though she said her brother does.
"This is really strange to me," Belle said. "I never even thought I would ever find her."