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  • February 24, 2023
                                                                                                 July 29, 2022 Coats Museum News
It was 32 years ago when the Mr. and Mrs. James Leverne Matthews had announced the engagement of their daughter, Cynthia Lynn “Cindy” Matthews, to Gregory “Greg” Todd Dudley of Coats. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Myers Dudley of Benson (Daily Record July 26, 1990).
Gertie Irene Stone, 79, of Coats had died Wednesday. Violene Matthews was one of her surviving daughters. Her sisters were Annie Matthews, Alma Weaver, Verle Flowers and Hazel Byrd. J.L. Pollard was a brother. Her services were at the Gift Primitive Baptist Church with Rev. Fred Williams officiating. Burial was in the Coats City Cemetery (Daily Record July 27, 1990).
Question –was Cindy Matthews a relative of Mrs. Gertie Stone?
This I do know. Donald R. Stewart, an auto dealer and president of the Coats Motor Company, was named to the First Citizens Board. He was a past Chief of the Coats Grove Fire Department, attended Campbell University, and was a member of the Coats Junior Order and the Triton Booster Club.
How does one get named to a bank board?  It sounds like it was a prestigious position and surely the Stewart family was happy for the news. However, there were two families in Coats who had received sad news. Paul Jones Clayton had died on Monday. Surviving him were two sons-Boyd and Barnes Clayton. Mr. Clayton’s services were at the Coats Baptist Church with Dr. Mark White and Rev. Howard Beard officiating. Burial was in the Lakeside Memorial Gardens.
The second death was that of Maylon C. Pollard, 92, of Coats. The death had occurred on Sunday. A daughter, Thurlene Klein, and two sons-Baxton and Paul Pollard survived her.
Does the Liberty Club still exist? In the July 30, 1990 edition of the Daily Record, it was reported the ladies met at Topsoil Island at the summer retreat of Mrs. Charles Denning.
In 1971, the Swinging Elders from Coats was formed. For nineteen years they had plucked their guitars, banged their pianos, picked their mandolins, shaken their trampolines, and blown their kazoos in Coats and elsewhere (daily Record Aug. 1, 1990).
Did they not have a few other musical instruments? We have on loan to the museum from the Thomas Williams family a wash tub that was used as a bass drum and belonged to their dad. Did Betty Gregory play an accordion and did someone play spoons? Do any of you remember seeing the group on the evening news from time to time? Derek Currin gave a large picture of the Swinging Elders who represented a large portion of the senior citizens in the Coats community. If you are in Coats on a Sunday or Thursday, drop by the museum and see if any of your family played in the Swinging Elders. You might be surprised.
Several popular Coats men were patients in various hospitals. They were Tommy Carroll, J.L. Pollard, Leroy Stewart and Carlie McLamb (Daily Record Aug. 2, 1990).
The newest civic club in Coats was busy. The Coats Jaycees sponsored a Health Fair in the Coats Community Building. Elsewhere, the community was saddened that Haywood Penny, 59, of rural Coats, had died on Thursday. Surviving him were his son Timothy Penny and daughter Donna Penny Coats. His siblings were Joe Penny, Jr., Howard Penny, Edwin Penny, Maude P. Sorrell, Grace P. Carroll, and Nell P. Williams. He was buried in the Coats City Cemetery.
News came to the Coats folks that a daughter had arrived for Mr. and Mrs. Gary Smith. Kacie Leigh Smith was her name. Her mom was the former Janice Williams. Also in the same Aug. 3rd edition of the Daily Record which reported the Coats Senior Citizens Super Ball Golf Tournament was sponsored by the Carolina Telephone Community Relations Team and the Coats IGA.
Danny West and Co. was named the CACC Business Focus of the Week. Danny had another office in Garner (Daily Record Aug. 8, 1990).
Maximillian “Maxi” Johann Brau and Amy Lynne Holley announced plans to marry in September. He was the son of Al and Lana Sue Barbour DeSota (Daily Record Aug. 10, 1990).
Maude Martin Parker, 70, of Coats had died on Wednesday. Her husband was James L. Parker and son was Rex Godwin. The same Aug. 16 edition of the paper printed that Harnett County Commissioner Mack Reid Hudson was elected to a two-year term on the N.C. Board of Directors of the N.C. Association of County Commissioners.
Elton Stewart, Jr. and Tammy Stewart announced the birth of their daughter, Lindsey Carol Stewart, on July 22nd (Daily Record Aug. 17, 1990). Who remembers what Elton’s nickname was?
Some people in the Coats community were on the road or in some cases on the ocean. Pat and Larry Godwin had celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary with a Carnival Cruise to the Bahamas. Forty-two people from Ebenezer Presbyterian traveled to Swansboro to see “Worthy is the Lamb” (Daily Record Aug. 23, 1990).
It is always interesting to discover the path that students take after graduation from high school. Recently death claimed a 1962 Coats High School graduate. Frank Stancil became a N.C. Highway Patrolman and his surviving classmates have remembered Frank with a memorial to the Coats Museum. Thank you goes to Cheryl Whittington for dropping by the museum to deliver the memorial.  A thank you also goes to Becky Adams for remembering Gary Weaver who was a classmate of her brother Dennis Ennis and to H.L for remembering his Aunt Nell P. Williams with a birthday memorial.
Drop by the museum on Sunday afternoon and visit with Sandy Howard,  H.L. and me and let us give you a tour and share additional info on the artifacts and exhibits. The CACC is honoring the Hall of Fame recipients in the community building on Sunday. We would love a visit from the families of the recipients.