April 11, 2025 Coats Museum News
As a high school senior while taking sociology, my teacher went down the rows of students and counted one, two, three and four and then said, “One of your marriages will end in a divorce.” That statement has stayed with me all these years and I specifically remember being number one of the countdown to number four.
In recent years, almost half of the couples who marry will divorce after fifteen years of marriage and those who married before eighteen will likely divorce after ten years compared to twenty-five percent to those who married after twenty-five.
You might wonder how many couples make it to fifty years of marriage. According to US Census records, only five percent of marriages make it to 50 years. You have read in this column of many local couples who made it to 50 and more years of marriage. Today let’s share that C.T and Sue Clayton and Joseph and Leah Turlington made sure that their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Turlington, were properly honored with a reception on their 50th wedding anniversary. Wonder if they made it to the 60th?
I do know that Carol Ann Jones and Jody Pollard will be marking their 30th year of marriage this year because they were married on July 29th, 1995. Prior to that marriage, they had a shower at the community building hosted by Jenny Pollard, Ann Pollard, and Debby Warrick. Knowing that group of ladies, it had to be a time of fun and well wishes.
Good news came to Kheresa Wedding who had been named a recipient of the Eula Green and Rufus Benton Harmon Scholarship. Kheresa was a junior religion major. She was the daughter of J.A. and Wilma Wedding and had been named to both the Dean’s List and President’s List (Daily Record June 15, 1995).
Here we have another example of a wedding milestone. The Ebenezer Presbyterian Church fellowship hall was the setting for the 50th wedding anniversary of Lamas and Janie Denning. Their children and spouses, Mr. and Mrs. Gary Denning and Mr. and Mrs. Randy Stephenson, hosted the gala (Daily Record June 19, 1995).
Joe and Ann Upchurch of Angier announced the engagement of their daughter, Annette Wimberly to Chris West, son of Sherry Dorman and Ted West (Daily Record June 21, 1995).
Churches and businesses also celebrated anniversaries. Do you know what anniversary means and why it is celebrated once a year? This I do know is the Coats Chapel FWB Church was to celebrate its anniversary even though the article did not share what anniversary it was to celebrate but did note that the McKoy’s Chapel was to render special music. J.R. Currie was to be speaker according to the pastor, Rev. Lawrence G.M. Denning. How many know where this church is located in the Coats area?
I bet many will recognize the name Melissa Matthews. This beautiful girl’s name has appeared often in the Daily Record This time it was to share that Melissa, the 1995 Young Miss Greater Raleigh, had been named a finalist in the Kiwanis Talent show that was to be aired on WKFT Channel 40. It was a preliminary to Star Search. . Melissa is the daughter of Billy and Joyce Matthews.
While we tend to say girls are pretty or beautiful and describe boys as handsome, good looking or athletic, the Daily Record described Adam Ennis as one of the “versatile” players on the Harnett County American Legion baseball team. He played for Post 59 (Daily Record June 23, 1995).
The June 28, 1995 issue of the Daily Record wrote that the Coats IGA team had won the Little League Tournament in Coats while the Matthews Brothers Builders had won the Farm League regular season.
The Coats Lions Club installed its new officers at their annual ladies and installations officers’ night. The occasion was festive with a delicious meal served by Ron’s Barn under the supervision of Phyllis Knight. Outgoing President H.A. Turlington, Jr. presided. J.C. Coley of Dunn installed President Forrest Fleming, 1st Vice President Jimmy Vaughn, 2nd Vice President Dudley Langdon, 3rd Vice President Darrell Smith, Secretary Ann Kaneklides, Lion Tamer Paul Hollingsworth and Tail Twister Bob Hedrick (Daily Record June 30, 1995).
Grace Dixon and her grandson, Wesley Thomas, went shopping for fireworks at Harnett Crossing. The Fourth of July was just a few days away.
Carolina Power and Light Company had named Brad Butler, Triton graduate and son of CPL employee Gary Butler, as one of the 15 college bound students receiving $1,500 scholarships. He was one of 87 applicants (Daily Record July 4, 1995).
To add to the story about lasting marriages, allow me to send congratulations to Randy and Dana Coats Byrd for celebrating their 39th wedding anniversary. A friend has honored them with an honorarium to the Coats Museum.
As a high school senior while taking sociology, my teacher went down the rows of students and counted one, two, three and four and then said, “One of your marriages will end in a divorce.” That statement has stayed with me all these years and I specifically remember being number one of the countdown to number four.
In recent years, almost half of the couples who marry will divorce after fifteen years of marriage and those who married before eighteen will likely divorce after ten years compared to twenty-five percent to those who married after twenty-five.
You might wonder how many couples make it to fifty years of marriage. According to US Census records, only five percent of marriages make it to 50 years. You have read in this column of many local couples who made it to 50 and more years of marriage. Today let’s share that C.T and Sue Clayton and Joseph and Leah Turlington made sure that their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Turlington, were properly honored with a reception on their 50th wedding anniversary. Wonder if they made it to the 60th?
I do know that Carol Ann Jones and Jody Pollard will be marking their 30th year of marriage this year because they were married on July 29th, 1995. Prior to that marriage, they had a shower at the community building hosted by Jenny Pollard, Ann Pollard, and Debby Warrick. Knowing that group of ladies, it had to be a time of fun and well wishes.
Good news came to Kheresa Wedding who had been named a recipient of the Eula Green and Rufus Benton Harmon Scholarship. Kheresa was a junior religion major. She was the daughter of J.A. and Wilma Wedding and had been named to both the Dean’s List and President’s List (Daily Record June 15, 1995).
Here we have another example of a wedding milestone. The Ebenezer Presbyterian Church fellowship hall was the setting for the 50th wedding anniversary of Lamas and Janie Denning. Their children and spouses, Mr. and Mrs. Gary Denning and Mr. and Mrs. Randy Stephenson, hosted the gala (Daily Record June 19, 1995).
Joe and Ann Upchurch of Angier announced the engagement of their daughter, Annette Wimberly to Chris West, son of Sherry Dorman and Ted West (Daily Record June 21, 1995).
Churches and businesses also celebrated anniversaries. Do you know what anniversary means and why it is celebrated once a year? This I do know is the Coats Chapel FWB Church was to celebrate its anniversary even though the article did not share what anniversary it was to celebrate but did note that the McKoy’s Chapel was to render special music. J.R. Currie was to be speaker according to the pastor, Rev. Lawrence G.M. Denning. How many know where this church is located in the Coats area?
I bet many will recognize the name Melissa Matthews. This beautiful girl’s name has appeared often in the Daily Record This time it was to share that Melissa, the 1995 Young Miss Greater Raleigh, had been named a finalist in the Kiwanis Talent show that was to be aired on WKFT Channel 40. It was a preliminary to Star Search. . Melissa is the daughter of Billy and Joyce Matthews.
While we tend to say girls are pretty or beautiful and describe boys as handsome, good looking or athletic, the Daily Record described Adam Ennis as one of the “versatile” players on the Harnett County American Legion baseball team. He played for Post 59 (Daily Record June 23, 1995).
The June 28, 1995 issue of the Daily Record wrote that the Coats IGA team had won the Little League Tournament in Coats while the Matthews Brothers Builders had won the Farm League regular season.
The Coats Lions Club installed its new officers at their annual ladies and installations officers’ night. The occasion was festive with a delicious meal served by Ron’s Barn under the supervision of Phyllis Knight. Outgoing President H.A. Turlington, Jr. presided. J.C. Coley of Dunn installed President Forrest Fleming, 1st Vice President Jimmy Vaughn, 2nd Vice President Dudley Langdon, 3rd Vice President Darrell Smith, Secretary Ann Kaneklides, Lion Tamer Paul Hollingsworth and Tail Twister Bob Hedrick (Daily Record June 30, 1995).
Grace Dixon and her grandson, Wesley Thomas, went shopping for fireworks at Harnett Crossing. The Fourth of July was just a few days away.
Carolina Power and Light Company had named Brad Butler, Triton graduate and son of CPL employee Gary Butler, as one of the 15 college bound students receiving $1,500 scholarships. He was one of 87 applicants (Daily Record July 4, 1995).
To add to the story about lasting marriages, allow me to send congratulations to Randy and Dana Coats Byrd for celebrating their 39th wedding anniversary. A friend has honored them with an honorarium to the Coats Museum.