July 21, 2017 Coats Museum News
It was summer of 1963 and the Daily Record was filled with information about births, wedding and local church happenings. Two new mothers had carried home their babies in the Coats area. LaRue Stanley Lloyd had a son and Carolyn Wheeler Capps had a new daughter. Elgie Capps and Willie Frank Lloyd were the proud dads (Daily Record June 24 and 28, 1963).
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Norris also were new parents on July 2nd. The daughter was born at Good Hope Hospital to the former Glenda Lou Williams (Daily Record July 2, 1963).
Betty Sue Ennis from near the old Oakdale School and Timothy Spence exchanged vows in the Chalybeate Springs Baptist Church. The bride was the daughter of Bronnie Harold Ennis and Tim was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Staley Artley Spence. Linda and Louise Ennis presented music. Ann Ennis and Joan Ennis, sisters of the bride, were in the wedding party. Betty Sue was a Campbell graduate and Tim was in his senior year at the school (Daily Record July 4, 1963).
The annual Sunday school picnic of the Coats Baptist Church was held at the Falls of the Neuse State Park with 150 members attending (Daily Record July 5, 1963).
While many locals enjoyed the church outing, others likely found enjoyment in watching the players from the various churches compete in the Coats Softball League. The Methodist played the Baptist women and won by 11-8 score. Jackie Pleasant of the Methodist and Eloise Lee, Beanie Ennis, and Sondra Ennis of the Baptist were standouts. Pitchers were Dorothy Lawrence of the Methodist and Peggy Senter was on the mound for the Baptist. The Young People had taken on the Methodist men. The Young People won with the strong play of outfielder Harold Dixon and third- baseman Charles Langdon. Kent Langdon was the winning pitcher for the Young People. Charles Ennis, shortstop, and Larry Rose, center fielder, lead the Methodists in hits.
The Baptist B’s had won over Prospect with the good work of shortstop Norfleet Gardner and Donald O’Quinn. The winning pitcher was Rev. Howard Beard for the Baptist over Prospect’s Sam Stephenson in the 8-3 Baptist victory. The Ebenezer men had played Pleasant Memory and were led all the way by Bill Kimbrough. Ebenezer easily won by 15-4. Ronnie McLamb and Otis Lockamy were good hitters for Pleasant Memory while Garland Coats, Ebenezer pitcher, and Henry Holmes, Pleasant Memory pitcher, were on the mound (Daily Record July 5, 1963).
Since 1978, M.T. Strickland was a familiar name and face around Coats. M.T. and IGA went together like honey and bees. Some of you who knew M.T. well might be surprised to know that M.T. was a star on the racetrack. M.T. Strickland won 1st place in the hobby race at the Fairground Speedway (Daily Record July 5, 1963).
Where was the Fairground Speedway? I do know that Mr. and Mrs. W.T. Messer celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary at the Coats Community Building. Seven of their eleven children attended the event. Miss Peggy Messer, Mrs. A. H. Hadnott, Mrs. Don Woodall, W.T. Messer, Jr., Robert Messer, Willard Messer, and Jim F. Messer were on hand to greet family and friends. Mrs. R.F. Foy, Mrs. Sherrill Willis, Cleo Messer, and Mrs. A.C. Burdis were unable to attend. Perhaps one of their siblings saved a napkin inscribed with “Claudia and Bud 1913-1963” for a keepsake for a wonderful testimony of love (Daily Record July 9, 1963). Do you wonder why the four siblings were unable to attend?
Mr. and Mrs. Otis Jackson shared the good news of their new arrival, a daughter, who was born in Betsy Johnson Memorial Hospital in Dunn. The mother was the former Doris Faircloth (Daily Record July 11, 1963).
The Softball League games continued. The Methodist women beat the ladies team from Dunn. The Methodist men defeated Ebenezer; Prospect defeated the Young People and Baptist B’s beat Pleasant Memory (Daily Record July 11, 1963).
Coats was definitely adding numbers to the population of the area. Mr. and Mrs. Harold F. Bowden had a son at Good Hope Hospital. The mom was the former Linda Combs. Mr. and Mrs. Daries Herbert Boitel announced the birth of twins, a boy and a girl, at Betsy Johnson Memorial Hospital. The mon was the former Carolyn Sylvia Campbell (Daily Record July 25, 1963).
On the farm front, approximately 300 acres of tobacco had suffered heavy damages during a wind and hail storm in the Coats section on a Sunday afternoon at 2:15. Herbert Johnson estimated that some farmers suffered 80% loss. The storm was similar to a tornado. The roof of Stewart Bros. Company was blown off and the company’s main smokestack toppled. Among the farmers who suffered damage were Clayton Stewart, Cortez Williams, Wedding Bros., David Pope Farm, G.W. Hayes, Nelson Currin, F.B. Lee, Lyn Smith, M.P. Lee, Carvis Barnes, Jarvis Tart, Eugene Morgan, Walter Williams and many others (Daily Record July 29, 1963).
Two more babies were added to the latest list of new arrivals. Mr. and Mrs. Wadeford Coats, of Route One, Coats, announced the birth of a son in Good Hope Hospital. The mom was the former Mary Holmes Mr. and Mrs. Dellie Devon Page announced the birth of a daughter at Good Hope Hospital. Mrs. Page was the former Faye Williams (Daily Record July 29, 1963).
The 27th annual Sunday School Convention of the Cape Fear “A” Conference was held at the Coats Chapel Freewill Baptist Church in Coats. The Rev. Alexander Walker was host Church pastor. Mayor Godfrey Beasley welcomed the delegates to Coats (Daily Record Aug. 7, 1963).
Mr. and Mrs. Jackie Vance Turlington announced the birth of a son, Jeffrey Paul Turlington, in Betsy Johnson Memorial Hospital. The mom was the former Carolyn Sue Grimes. Wonder how the new young parents felt being in the hospital with their school principal’s wife who was there to give birth to a new daughter. Mrs. Joseph Cleo Hawley was the former Ora Pond Smith (Daily Record Aug.19, 1963).
The local hospitals stayed busy keeping all the newborns from the Coats area registered. Mrs. Isabelle Godwin Fish was honored with a cradle shower at the home of Mrs. B. L Godwin with Mrs. Willie Strickland and Mrs. Helen Carroll as co-hostesses. The special guest from out of town was her sister, Jean Walker of Whiteville (Daily Record Aug. 30, 1963). The J.D. Fish baby boy would be announced in the October 14th edition of the Daily Record.
Edsel H. Parrish, son of Mr. and Mrs. G.L. Parrish, was promoted to Specialist Four in Germany where he was a member of the 333rd Artillery. The 37 year-old soldier was a 1944 Coats High School graduate (Daily Record Sept. 2, 1963).
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond L. Gregory of Route 1, Coats, announced the birth of a son at Good Hope Hospital. Mrs. Gregory was the former Jewel McGee (Daily Record Sept. 5, 1963).
Judge Joseph Parker in Harnett Superior Court granted a non-suit in the $50,000 lawsuit filed in the death of eight-year-old Cecil Mark Ennis who was killed while riding his bike and was hit by Mrs. Tallie Dupree as she was driving home from teaching at Coats. The child had ridden into the path of the car (Daily Record Sept. 16, 1963).
Earl E. Ryals, Assistant Vice-President and Director of Education and Sales Promotion for Southern Life Insurance in Greensboro, addressed the Underwriters in Dunn. He was well known for his work and was a popular speaker for underwriters groups. Ryals was a native of Coats (Daily Record Sept. 16, 1963).
What happened with the Softball League? I do know that it was football season at the county schools. The Coats Gridders defeated Greenwood when Devon Moore scored twice and Larry Byrd tallied once and passed for another in leading Coats to a 35-0 romp in the Mid Central Conference. Moore ran 51 yards for the opening touchdown and intercepted for another. Byrd ran 15 yards and passed 72 yards to Gary Denning for two more. Keith Parrish scored the on a run of six yards. Parrish, Millard Faulkner, Byrd and Frank Turlington accounted for the extra points (Daily Record Sept. 16, 1963).
Question to those of you who were in high school with these young men, can you see in your mind an image of those young football players on the field?
William Parnell, Army Specialist Four, had participated with other members of the 25th “Infantry Division in Exercise Dusty Trails”, a combined arm-firing maneuver in Hawaii. Parnell had attended Coats School. Parnell was the husband of Madeline Parnell and son of Mr. and Mrs. William Parnell (Daily Record Oct. 2, 1963).
It might be of interest to know that William Parnell was later killed in action in Vietnam in September of 1966. I met his widow a few years ago when she visited the museum and she lovingly talked about her husband and the medals and citations that she had of his. She was delightful and it broke my heart to know that she died within a few weeks of my meeting her. It is truly a small world. The Parnell children rode the same bus that my siblings and I rode so we knew them well. Like us, they were farm kids who worked from predawn to late hours on the farm. We all learned that the farm life taught us the value of hard work. Interestingly, the Parnell family had also farmed in Johnston County as neighbors to my husband’s farm family. Hence, when we heard that William P. Parnell had been killed in action in the monsoon season of Vietnam, we saw more than a name-we saw a hero who we remembered from his days sweating on the farm in the heat of summer.
Patsy and Stacy Avery, thank you for remembering Juanita Hudson with a museum memorial and to you, Ruth Upchurch, for remembering Lib Guy. H.L. Sorrell, thank you for remembering Nell P. Williams with a birthday memorial and for honoring Robie Butler with a birthday honorarium to the museum foundation. You are unsung heroes to the Coats community.
It was summer of 1963 and the Daily Record was filled with information about births, wedding and local church happenings. Two new mothers had carried home their babies in the Coats area. LaRue Stanley Lloyd had a son and Carolyn Wheeler Capps had a new daughter. Elgie Capps and Willie Frank Lloyd were the proud dads (Daily Record June 24 and 28, 1963).
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Norris also were new parents on July 2nd. The daughter was born at Good Hope Hospital to the former Glenda Lou Williams (Daily Record July 2, 1963).
Betty Sue Ennis from near the old Oakdale School and Timothy Spence exchanged vows in the Chalybeate Springs Baptist Church. The bride was the daughter of Bronnie Harold Ennis and Tim was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Staley Artley Spence. Linda and Louise Ennis presented music. Ann Ennis and Joan Ennis, sisters of the bride, were in the wedding party. Betty Sue was a Campbell graduate and Tim was in his senior year at the school (Daily Record July 4, 1963).
The annual Sunday school picnic of the Coats Baptist Church was held at the Falls of the Neuse State Park with 150 members attending (Daily Record July 5, 1963).
While many locals enjoyed the church outing, others likely found enjoyment in watching the players from the various churches compete in the Coats Softball League. The Methodist played the Baptist women and won by 11-8 score. Jackie Pleasant of the Methodist and Eloise Lee, Beanie Ennis, and Sondra Ennis of the Baptist were standouts. Pitchers were Dorothy Lawrence of the Methodist and Peggy Senter was on the mound for the Baptist. The Young People had taken on the Methodist men. The Young People won with the strong play of outfielder Harold Dixon and third- baseman Charles Langdon. Kent Langdon was the winning pitcher for the Young People. Charles Ennis, shortstop, and Larry Rose, center fielder, lead the Methodists in hits.
The Baptist B’s had won over Prospect with the good work of shortstop Norfleet Gardner and Donald O’Quinn. The winning pitcher was Rev. Howard Beard for the Baptist over Prospect’s Sam Stephenson in the 8-3 Baptist victory. The Ebenezer men had played Pleasant Memory and were led all the way by Bill Kimbrough. Ebenezer easily won by 15-4. Ronnie McLamb and Otis Lockamy were good hitters for Pleasant Memory while Garland Coats, Ebenezer pitcher, and Henry Holmes, Pleasant Memory pitcher, were on the mound (Daily Record July 5, 1963).
Since 1978, M.T. Strickland was a familiar name and face around Coats. M.T. and IGA went together like honey and bees. Some of you who knew M.T. well might be surprised to know that M.T. was a star on the racetrack. M.T. Strickland won 1st place in the hobby race at the Fairground Speedway (Daily Record July 5, 1963).
Where was the Fairground Speedway? I do know that Mr. and Mrs. W.T. Messer celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary at the Coats Community Building. Seven of their eleven children attended the event. Miss Peggy Messer, Mrs. A. H. Hadnott, Mrs. Don Woodall, W.T. Messer, Jr., Robert Messer, Willard Messer, and Jim F. Messer were on hand to greet family and friends. Mrs. R.F. Foy, Mrs. Sherrill Willis, Cleo Messer, and Mrs. A.C. Burdis were unable to attend. Perhaps one of their siblings saved a napkin inscribed with “Claudia and Bud 1913-1963” for a keepsake for a wonderful testimony of love (Daily Record July 9, 1963). Do you wonder why the four siblings were unable to attend?
Mr. and Mrs. Otis Jackson shared the good news of their new arrival, a daughter, who was born in Betsy Johnson Memorial Hospital in Dunn. The mother was the former Doris Faircloth (Daily Record July 11, 1963).
The Softball League games continued. The Methodist women beat the ladies team from Dunn. The Methodist men defeated Ebenezer; Prospect defeated the Young People and Baptist B’s beat Pleasant Memory (Daily Record July 11, 1963).
Coats was definitely adding numbers to the population of the area. Mr. and Mrs. Harold F. Bowden had a son at Good Hope Hospital. The mom was the former Linda Combs. Mr. and Mrs. Daries Herbert Boitel announced the birth of twins, a boy and a girl, at Betsy Johnson Memorial Hospital. The mon was the former Carolyn Sylvia Campbell (Daily Record July 25, 1963).
On the farm front, approximately 300 acres of tobacco had suffered heavy damages during a wind and hail storm in the Coats section on a Sunday afternoon at 2:15. Herbert Johnson estimated that some farmers suffered 80% loss. The storm was similar to a tornado. The roof of Stewart Bros. Company was blown off and the company’s main smokestack toppled. Among the farmers who suffered damage were Clayton Stewart, Cortez Williams, Wedding Bros., David Pope Farm, G.W. Hayes, Nelson Currin, F.B. Lee, Lyn Smith, M.P. Lee, Carvis Barnes, Jarvis Tart, Eugene Morgan, Walter Williams and many others (Daily Record July 29, 1963).
Two more babies were added to the latest list of new arrivals. Mr. and Mrs. Wadeford Coats, of Route One, Coats, announced the birth of a son in Good Hope Hospital. The mom was the former Mary Holmes Mr. and Mrs. Dellie Devon Page announced the birth of a daughter at Good Hope Hospital. Mrs. Page was the former Faye Williams (Daily Record July 29, 1963).
The 27th annual Sunday School Convention of the Cape Fear “A” Conference was held at the Coats Chapel Freewill Baptist Church in Coats. The Rev. Alexander Walker was host Church pastor. Mayor Godfrey Beasley welcomed the delegates to Coats (Daily Record Aug. 7, 1963).
Mr. and Mrs. Jackie Vance Turlington announced the birth of a son, Jeffrey Paul Turlington, in Betsy Johnson Memorial Hospital. The mom was the former Carolyn Sue Grimes. Wonder how the new young parents felt being in the hospital with their school principal’s wife who was there to give birth to a new daughter. Mrs. Joseph Cleo Hawley was the former Ora Pond Smith (Daily Record Aug.19, 1963).
The local hospitals stayed busy keeping all the newborns from the Coats area registered. Mrs. Isabelle Godwin Fish was honored with a cradle shower at the home of Mrs. B. L Godwin with Mrs. Willie Strickland and Mrs. Helen Carroll as co-hostesses. The special guest from out of town was her sister, Jean Walker of Whiteville (Daily Record Aug. 30, 1963). The J.D. Fish baby boy would be announced in the October 14th edition of the Daily Record.
Edsel H. Parrish, son of Mr. and Mrs. G.L. Parrish, was promoted to Specialist Four in Germany where he was a member of the 333rd Artillery. The 37 year-old soldier was a 1944 Coats High School graduate (Daily Record Sept. 2, 1963).
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond L. Gregory of Route 1, Coats, announced the birth of a son at Good Hope Hospital. Mrs. Gregory was the former Jewel McGee (Daily Record Sept. 5, 1963).
Judge Joseph Parker in Harnett Superior Court granted a non-suit in the $50,000 lawsuit filed in the death of eight-year-old Cecil Mark Ennis who was killed while riding his bike and was hit by Mrs. Tallie Dupree as she was driving home from teaching at Coats. The child had ridden into the path of the car (Daily Record Sept. 16, 1963).
Earl E. Ryals, Assistant Vice-President and Director of Education and Sales Promotion for Southern Life Insurance in Greensboro, addressed the Underwriters in Dunn. He was well known for his work and was a popular speaker for underwriters groups. Ryals was a native of Coats (Daily Record Sept. 16, 1963).
What happened with the Softball League? I do know that it was football season at the county schools. The Coats Gridders defeated Greenwood when Devon Moore scored twice and Larry Byrd tallied once and passed for another in leading Coats to a 35-0 romp in the Mid Central Conference. Moore ran 51 yards for the opening touchdown and intercepted for another. Byrd ran 15 yards and passed 72 yards to Gary Denning for two more. Keith Parrish scored the on a run of six yards. Parrish, Millard Faulkner, Byrd and Frank Turlington accounted for the extra points (Daily Record Sept. 16, 1963).
Question to those of you who were in high school with these young men, can you see in your mind an image of those young football players on the field?
William Parnell, Army Specialist Four, had participated with other members of the 25th “Infantry Division in Exercise Dusty Trails”, a combined arm-firing maneuver in Hawaii. Parnell had attended Coats School. Parnell was the husband of Madeline Parnell and son of Mr. and Mrs. William Parnell (Daily Record Oct. 2, 1963).
It might be of interest to know that William Parnell was later killed in action in Vietnam in September of 1966. I met his widow a few years ago when she visited the museum and she lovingly talked about her husband and the medals and citations that she had of his. She was delightful and it broke my heart to know that she died within a few weeks of my meeting her. It is truly a small world. The Parnell children rode the same bus that my siblings and I rode so we knew them well. Like us, they were farm kids who worked from predawn to late hours on the farm. We all learned that the farm life taught us the value of hard work. Interestingly, the Parnell family had also farmed in Johnston County as neighbors to my husband’s farm family. Hence, when we heard that William P. Parnell had been killed in action in the monsoon season of Vietnam, we saw more than a name-we saw a hero who we remembered from his days sweating on the farm in the heat of summer.
Patsy and Stacy Avery, thank you for remembering Juanita Hudson with a museum memorial and to you, Ruth Upchurch, for remembering Lib Guy. H.L. Sorrell, thank you for remembering Nell P. Williams with a birthday memorial and for honoring Robie Butler with a birthday honorarium to the museum foundation. You are unsung heroes to the Coats community.