April 4, 2025 Coats Museum News
The year was 1995 and Coats Grove area had lost two of its senior citizens who were born at time when many fathers and siblings were fighting on foreign soils during WWI. These two men would live long enough to watch vehicles progress from traveling on mud paths that connected houses to small towns to multilane interstate highways connecting cities from north to south and from east to west in the U.S.
They would experience heat from fireplaces and wooden stoves to solar panels supplying energy to power their color televisions, computers and microwaves. They could share with their grandchildren that there was a time when cars had a clutch but no power windows or seats, no heat or air conditioning or Bluetooth.
The column could go on for pages with the changes that Everett M. Williams and Clifford M. Pleasant witnessed during their lifetime. Everett M. Williams, 82, of Coats had expired at his home after an extended illness. He was the son of the late Albert and Flonnie Stone Williams. He was a retired carpenter and a deacon in the Gift Primitive Baptist Church. Elders Fred Williams and Sexton Pope, with the assistance of Rev. R.O. Byrd, conducted Mr. Williams’ services.
Ruth Jernigan Williams survived her husband, as did his children-Jerry Williams, Herbert Williams, Keith Williams, Ronald Williams, Betty Manning, Wilma Stone and Joan Mize. Eugene Williams, Odell Williams, Vergie Knox, Dorothy Barefoot and Ola Wood were his siblings (Daily Record June 12, 1995).
The other citizen who had died on Monday at the Johnston Memorial Hospital was Clifford M. Pleasant, 79, who was the son of the late Jim and Iva Surles Pleasant. He was a farmer and widower of Maybelle Norris Pleasant. His services were held at the Rose and Graham Funeral Home Chapel in Benson and Bethsaida PB Church Cemetery. His survivors included Larry Pleasant, Ronald Pleasant, Carolyn Pleasant Whittington and Shirley Pleasant (Daily Record June 13, 1995).
The American Legion Unit 109 had named Hilary Brown, Allison Langdon and Blair Wiggins to attend Tar Heel Girls State. Hilary was a lifeguard, a Sunday school teacher, a yearbook staffer, and a member of the Science, Close-Up and Big Brother-Sister Clubs. Her parents were Susan and Matt Cannady. Allison was the vice president of the National Honor Society, a member of the Spanish and Latin Clubs, SADD and Future Business Leaders of America. Allison’s parents were Jerry and Sharon Langdon. The third girl to attend the Girls State was Blair Wiggins who was daughter of John and Jennie Wiggins. Blair was a member of the Close-Up Club, a member of HOSA, a varsity cheerleader and a Key Clubber (Daily Record June 14, 1995).
Does the American Legion Unit 109 continue to offer this program? When I was in high school we had the opportunities to attend FFA, FHA, Beta Club Conventions and Student Council Congresses where we met other students from throughout NC. In fact, the family I stayed with in Chapel Hill during a Student Council Congress had a daughter that we later connected when we attended the same university. It was such an honor to be picked to go to these various conventions as a high school student that I hope that today’s students continue to have various opportunities to participate and grow beyond their local schools.
She was not “getting older but was getting better” according to Belle Williams as she wrote about Edna Beasley on her 92nd birthday. She had celebrated with her nieces and nephews at Lane’s Seafood and Steakhouse. Another Coats lady who had celebrated a birthday was Mrs. Cora Ragan. Would it not have been interesting to have watched those birthday events?
Another Coats resident had joined the ranks of the “retired”. Jerry Johnson retired from NC State after 36 years. The Senior Adult Class at Pleasant Memory gave him a surprise party hosted by his wife Betty Byrd Johnson. Felicia Johnson Williams attended from Texas and her brother Michael Johnson and daughters from Erwin, were present. Guess who made the cake for the retirement celebration. None other than Diane Denning who made thousands of cakes over the years while also teaching cake decorating classes during night hours.
Congratulations were on the plate for Mary and Woodrow Langdon. They had been busy attending graduation ceremonies for their grandchildren. Their grandson, Tate, son of Ronnie and Jean Langdon, graduated with honors from Southern High School in Greensboro. Another week later, they returned to Greensboro for the graduation of Tara Langdon, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Charles Langdon. Tara attended Greensboro Day School.
Those of you who have followed this Coats Museum News column are well aware of the accomplishments of those connected to the Cleve Langdon family. For future historical reference, allow me to mention some who were former classmates or students at Coats School. I ask forgiveness from those I fail to recognize who did not attend the local schools. Woodrow and Mary’s three sons-Bill, Ronnie and Charles-a gynecologist, a pharmacist and a dentist- all graduates of the rural Coats High School. Then there is Randy Rambeau whose Mom Rosa was a Langdon and Randy had a career in the survey engineering. Then there is Harvard graduate Dr. Casey Langdon, son of David and grandson of Gerald Langdon. Sherwood’s two were Ann Kaneklides CPA and John, and architect in Charlotte. Then there is Iris Langdon Barnes who was mother to Dorothy Valsame and Allie Mae Herring both educators, and grandmother to our own Mark Valsame- an archivist.
Thank you to the fine folks from Red Hill Church- we so enjoyed giving you a tour of our museums last week.
The year was 1995 and Coats Grove area had lost two of its senior citizens who were born at time when many fathers and siblings were fighting on foreign soils during WWI. These two men would live long enough to watch vehicles progress from traveling on mud paths that connected houses to small towns to multilane interstate highways connecting cities from north to south and from east to west in the U.S.
They would experience heat from fireplaces and wooden stoves to solar panels supplying energy to power their color televisions, computers and microwaves. They could share with their grandchildren that there was a time when cars had a clutch but no power windows or seats, no heat or air conditioning or Bluetooth.
The column could go on for pages with the changes that Everett M. Williams and Clifford M. Pleasant witnessed during their lifetime. Everett M. Williams, 82, of Coats had expired at his home after an extended illness. He was the son of the late Albert and Flonnie Stone Williams. He was a retired carpenter and a deacon in the Gift Primitive Baptist Church. Elders Fred Williams and Sexton Pope, with the assistance of Rev. R.O. Byrd, conducted Mr. Williams’ services.
Ruth Jernigan Williams survived her husband, as did his children-Jerry Williams, Herbert Williams, Keith Williams, Ronald Williams, Betty Manning, Wilma Stone and Joan Mize. Eugene Williams, Odell Williams, Vergie Knox, Dorothy Barefoot and Ola Wood were his siblings (Daily Record June 12, 1995).
The other citizen who had died on Monday at the Johnston Memorial Hospital was Clifford M. Pleasant, 79, who was the son of the late Jim and Iva Surles Pleasant. He was a farmer and widower of Maybelle Norris Pleasant. His services were held at the Rose and Graham Funeral Home Chapel in Benson and Bethsaida PB Church Cemetery. His survivors included Larry Pleasant, Ronald Pleasant, Carolyn Pleasant Whittington and Shirley Pleasant (Daily Record June 13, 1995).
The American Legion Unit 109 had named Hilary Brown, Allison Langdon and Blair Wiggins to attend Tar Heel Girls State. Hilary was a lifeguard, a Sunday school teacher, a yearbook staffer, and a member of the Science, Close-Up and Big Brother-Sister Clubs. Her parents were Susan and Matt Cannady. Allison was the vice president of the National Honor Society, a member of the Spanish and Latin Clubs, SADD and Future Business Leaders of America. Allison’s parents were Jerry and Sharon Langdon. The third girl to attend the Girls State was Blair Wiggins who was daughter of John and Jennie Wiggins. Blair was a member of the Close-Up Club, a member of HOSA, a varsity cheerleader and a Key Clubber (Daily Record June 14, 1995).
Does the American Legion Unit 109 continue to offer this program? When I was in high school we had the opportunities to attend FFA, FHA, Beta Club Conventions and Student Council Congresses where we met other students from throughout NC. In fact, the family I stayed with in Chapel Hill during a Student Council Congress had a daughter that we later connected when we attended the same university. It was such an honor to be picked to go to these various conventions as a high school student that I hope that today’s students continue to have various opportunities to participate and grow beyond their local schools.
She was not “getting older but was getting better” according to Belle Williams as she wrote about Edna Beasley on her 92nd birthday. She had celebrated with her nieces and nephews at Lane’s Seafood and Steakhouse. Another Coats lady who had celebrated a birthday was Mrs. Cora Ragan. Would it not have been interesting to have watched those birthday events?
Another Coats resident had joined the ranks of the “retired”. Jerry Johnson retired from NC State after 36 years. The Senior Adult Class at Pleasant Memory gave him a surprise party hosted by his wife Betty Byrd Johnson. Felicia Johnson Williams attended from Texas and her brother Michael Johnson and daughters from Erwin, were present. Guess who made the cake for the retirement celebration. None other than Diane Denning who made thousands of cakes over the years while also teaching cake decorating classes during night hours.
Congratulations were on the plate for Mary and Woodrow Langdon. They had been busy attending graduation ceremonies for their grandchildren. Their grandson, Tate, son of Ronnie and Jean Langdon, graduated with honors from Southern High School in Greensboro. Another week later, they returned to Greensboro for the graduation of Tara Langdon, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Charles Langdon. Tara attended Greensboro Day School.
Those of you who have followed this Coats Museum News column are well aware of the accomplishments of those connected to the Cleve Langdon family. For future historical reference, allow me to mention some who were former classmates or students at Coats School. I ask forgiveness from those I fail to recognize who did not attend the local schools. Woodrow and Mary’s three sons-Bill, Ronnie and Charles-a gynecologist, a pharmacist and a dentist- all graduates of the rural Coats High School. Then there is Randy Rambeau whose Mom Rosa was a Langdon and Randy had a career in the survey engineering. Then there is Harvard graduate Dr. Casey Langdon, son of David and grandson of Gerald Langdon. Sherwood’s two were Ann Kaneklides CPA and John, and architect in Charlotte. Then there is Iris Langdon Barnes who was mother to Dorothy Valsame and Allie Mae Herring both educators, and grandmother to our own Mark Valsame- an archivist.
Thank you to the fine folks from Red Hill Church- we so enjoyed giving you a tour of our museums last week.