July 10, 2020 Coats Museum News
New words and phrases made history in the 1985 news cycle. “Crack” was a new form of cocaine that hit the streets in 1985. The Titanic was back in the news after all these years. The “year of the terrorist” sprang up after the South American death squads and the year-end airport bombings. The “freeze of the century” was coined when the January inaugural freeze wiped out 90 percent of the Florida citrus crop. The “ozone layer” became an established term giving new relevance when a British Antarctic team found a hole in the layer (Dickson, Paul. “From Elvis to E-Mail”. Massachusetts: Federal Press, 1999, p. 281).
Winford Lee “Win” Stephens of Coats was planning to wed Connie Porter Moore, daughter of Mrs. Margaret S. Porter of Route 5, Dunn (Daily Record Feb. 14, 1985).
M. Hoyle Gregory, Sr., 71, of Route 1, Benson, was to be buried in the Gregory Cemetery of Route 2, Angier. He was survived by his son-Max Gregory, Jr.; daughter-Mrs. Vira Stevens; brother-Belvis Gregory and sisters-Mrs. Bloncie Hodges and Mrs. Ann Quick (Daily Record Feb. 19, 1985).
The Coats Boys basketball team added the Carolina Conference title to their wins by defeating the Eastern NC School for the Deaf in Wilson. Richard Bryant scored 27; Manuel Hayes hit 18; Toby Stevens tallied 13; Terry Dibella canned 12 and Gary Meadows added six points (Daily Record Feb. 18, 1985).
Mrs. Annie Byrd of Coats received the sad news that her brother, Louis Willis, 70, of Harlowe had died (Daily Record Feb. 22, 1985).
The Daily Record of Feb. 25, 1985 reported several deaths. Mrs. Connie Mae Upchurch, 73, had died and was survived by her husband, Mayton Upchurch; two daughters-Janice Lucas and Rhonda Carr; one son-J.B. Slaughter and siblings--Mrs. Rachel Salmon, Mrs. Hazel Johnson, and Clyde Pleasant.
A second death was that of Paul Washington Byrd, 60, had died and was survived by three sisters-Mrs. Woodrow Norris, Mrs. Earl Suggs, and Mrs. Josephine Kilgore.
A third was listed as Daniel Malcom McDonald, Sr., 91 year old retired farmer had died and was survived by two sons-Paul E. and Daniel M. McDonald, Jr. His daughter was Roxanna McDonald. Siblings were Thomas McDonald and Mrs. Minnie Cameron.
Mrs. Janice Norris of Route 1, Coats shared a copy of a 1930’s ledger that her father had left to her from a house being torn down in Goldsboro (Daily Record Feb. 27, 1985).
The union of Tammy Lynn Johnson and Sandy Allison Langdon would later have a major impact on the produce and farm markets in the state. Tammy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Johnson, of Four Oaks, and Sandy, son of Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Langdon, Jr., of Route 3, Dunn, were united in marriage by Rev. Ralph Byrd (Daily Record, Feb. 28, 1985).
Is the average life span in 2020 seventy-eight years-old? One would have to agree when Mrs. Amanda Katherine Turlington died at age ninety-four years-old, she had lived far longer than most of her generation. The lady had retired as an instructor from Campbell University and was the widow of Leslie Turlington of Route One, Coats (Daily Record Mar. 1, 1985).
Two other deaths connected to Coats were recorded in the Mar. 4, 1985 edition of the Daily Record. Graveside services at Greenwood Cemetery in Dunn were held for Harold Ennis who was a Dunn native before moving to Erie, PA. A second death was that of Waylon Godwin, of Route One, Benson. He was survived by his wife, Elsie Poole Godwin of Coats and a sister, Mrs. Hettie Godwin McLamb.
Dignitaries on hand for the opening of Bill Pope’s True Value Hardware store were Nelson Currin, contractor; M.T. Strickland who operated the Coats IGA in the same Village Square; Mr. and Mrs. William R. Pope; Carlie C. McLamb, partner in the IGA chain and Rev. Ralph Byrd who gave the invocation (Daily Record Mar. 8, 1985).
The volunteers really miss being at the museum. Museum business has continued thanks to technology and a very efficient secretary Becky Adams. An annual meeting on line, the old board of directors-Tim L. Penny, Myrtle Bridges, Kathy Weeks, and Lynda Butler-rotated off and were replaced by Linda Cobb, Hilda Pope, Ralph Denning and Gayle Sorrell. The officers elected were H.L. Sorrell, Andy Cole, Becky Adams, Robie Butler and Ted Penny. Exciting things are planned for the museum when it reopens.
New words and phrases made history in the 1985 news cycle. “Crack” was a new form of cocaine that hit the streets in 1985. The Titanic was back in the news after all these years. The “year of the terrorist” sprang up after the South American death squads and the year-end airport bombings. The “freeze of the century” was coined when the January inaugural freeze wiped out 90 percent of the Florida citrus crop. The “ozone layer” became an established term giving new relevance when a British Antarctic team found a hole in the layer (Dickson, Paul. “From Elvis to E-Mail”. Massachusetts: Federal Press, 1999, p. 281).
Winford Lee “Win” Stephens of Coats was planning to wed Connie Porter Moore, daughter of Mrs. Margaret S. Porter of Route 5, Dunn (Daily Record Feb. 14, 1985).
M. Hoyle Gregory, Sr., 71, of Route 1, Benson, was to be buried in the Gregory Cemetery of Route 2, Angier. He was survived by his son-Max Gregory, Jr.; daughter-Mrs. Vira Stevens; brother-Belvis Gregory and sisters-Mrs. Bloncie Hodges and Mrs. Ann Quick (Daily Record Feb. 19, 1985).
The Coats Boys basketball team added the Carolina Conference title to their wins by defeating the Eastern NC School for the Deaf in Wilson. Richard Bryant scored 27; Manuel Hayes hit 18; Toby Stevens tallied 13; Terry Dibella canned 12 and Gary Meadows added six points (Daily Record Feb. 18, 1985).
Mrs. Annie Byrd of Coats received the sad news that her brother, Louis Willis, 70, of Harlowe had died (Daily Record Feb. 22, 1985).
The Daily Record of Feb. 25, 1985 reported several deaths. Mrs. Connie Mae Upchurch, 73, had died and was survived by her husband, Mayton Upchurch; two daughters-Janice Lucas and Rhonda Carr; one son-J.B. Slaughter and siblings--Mrs. Rachel Salmon, Mrs. Hazel Johnson, and Clyde Pleasant.
A second death was that of Paul Washington Byrd, 60, had died and was survived by three sisters-Mrs. Woodrow Norris, Mrs. Earl Suggs, and Mrs. Josephine Kilgore.
A third was listed as Daniel Malcom McDonald, Sr., 91 year old retired farmer had died and was survived by two sons-Paul E. and Daniel M. McDonald, Jr. His daughter was Roxanna McDonald. Siblings were Thomas McDonald and Mrs. Minnie Cameron.
Mrs. Janice Norris of Route 1, Coats shared a copy of a 1930’s ledger that her father had left to her from a house being torn down in Goldsboro (Daily Record Feb. 27, 1985).
The union of Tammy Lynn Johnson and Sandy Allison Langdon would later have a major impact on the produce and farm markets in the state. Tammy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Johnson, of Four Oaks, and Sandy, son of Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Langdon, Jr., of Route 3, Dunn, were united in marriage by Rev. Ralph Byrd (Daily Record, Feb. 28, 1985).
Is the average life span in 2020 seventy-eight years-old? One would have to agree when Mrs. Amanda Katherine Turlington died at age ninety-four years-old, she had lived far longer than most of her generation. The lady had retired as an instructor from Campbell University and was the widow of Leslie Turlington of Route One, Coats (Daily Record Mar. 1, 1985).
Two other deaths connected to Coats were recorded in the Mar. 4, 1985 edition of the Daily Record. Graveside services at Greenwood Cemetery in Dunn were held for Harold Ennis who was a Dunn native before moving to Erie, PA. A second death was that of Waylon Godwin, of Route One, Benson. He was survived by his wife, Elsie Poole Godwin of Coats and a sister, Mrs. Hettie Godwin McLamb.
Dignitaries on hand for the opening of Bill Pope’s True Value Hardware store were Nelson Currin, contractor; M.T. Strickland who operated the Coats IGA in the same Village Square; Mr. and Mrs. William R. Pope; Carlie C. McLamb, partner in the IGA chain and Rev. Ralph Byrd who gave the invocation (Daily Record Mar. 8, 1985).
The volunteers really miss being at the museum. Museum business has continued thanks to technology and a very efficient secretary Becky Adams. An annual meeting on line, the old board of directors-Tim L. Penny, Myrtle Bridges, Kathy Weeks, and Lynda Butler-rotated off and were replaced by Linda Cobb, Hilda Pope, Ralph Denning and Gayle Sorrell. The officers elected were H.L. Sorrell, Andy Cole, Becky Adams, Robie Butler and Ted Penny. Exciting things are planned for the museum when it reopens.