June 22, 2018 Coats Museum News
Many times it takes the death of an educator to make us aware of just how much that person affected the lives of so many. Death sometimes shakes our memories of those days in the classrooms and how we use the knowledge, values and attitudes displayed by our teachers in our adult lives. The recent death of our Dan Honeycutt shook the memories of so many in Coats and countywide as to the impact that he had made on the lives of not only students but those adults with whom he led. For those of you who attended Coats High School in 1971, do you remember a teacher by the name of Mrs. Loretta Bullock Whitehead? Apparently after leaving Coats, she went to South Carolina where she died in Columbia according to the May 4, 1971 edition of the Daily Record.
A 1971 death which occurred in the Route One, Coats area was that of Tommy Matthews, 62. He never knew the impact his sons, nieces and nephews would have in the Coats community because he died when most of them were teenagers. Mr. Matthews was survived by his wife, Grace Matthews, and two sons-Craig and Donnie Matthews. The farmer was survived by five brothers-Nealie, William H., Lonnie, Dick and J.T. Matthews. His six sisters were Katie, Lula, Mrs. Joe E. Denton, Mrs. R.O. Byrd, Mrs. J.M. Ferrell, and Mrs. C.T. King (Daily Record May 5, 1971).
At the Coats High School, the student body had selected Student Council officers for 1971-72. Randy Suggs was voted as president, Kent Turlington as vice president, Michael Wood as secretary-treasurer, and Pam Stephenson as historian. On the county level, the Harnett County North Carolina Association of Educators installed officers at the annual banquet- Charles Marsh, president; Tommy Davis, vice president; Judith Dixon, secretary and Marie Salmon, treasurer (Daily Record May 4, 1971).
Mrs. Ina Wood was a patient at Good Hope Hospital. She was only one of several Coats folks who had spent time in hospitals in the area. Mrs. Mary Dennis, Mrs. Clettis Williams, Mrs. Mary Johnson, and Mr. William Coats had been in the hospital in early May (Daily Record May 12, 1971).
A Coats soldier was selected as Airman of the Year in Melton, England. The United States Air Force Sgt. Jerry R. Johnson was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Coy Johnson. Mr. Johnson was a pilot maintenance technician. Sgt. Johnson had been selected for his exemplary conduct and duty performance. Sgt. Johnson had attended Coats High School and was a 1955 graduate. His mom attended my church and was an amazing woman with common sense to share. She was a faithful reader of the Coats Museum News column and I am sorry that she is not here to revisit this exciting day in the life of her son (Daily Record May 12, 1971).
Who remember the Dupree’s who taught on the Coats School faculty? Do the names Betty, Sarah and Tallie H. Dupree ring a bell? I do know that Sarah Dupree was loved beyond words and had been in the classroom for 25 years because she was recognized with a 25-year pin at the Harnett County Board of Education in Lillington (Daily Record May 12, 1971).
Miss Wanda Cheryl Stephenson was engaged to marry Don Gary Denton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Don Denton of rural Coats. Mr. and Mrs. Donahue Stephenson made the announcement. The wedding was planned for June in the Coats Methodist Church (Daily Record May 14, 1971).
Superintendent R.A. Gray had presented a certificate of appreciation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to J.C. Hawley, principal of Coats High School. Membership was for three years and gave the school time to work for accreditation in the association. If end results of student successes played a role in membership, Coats should have had no problems. Good examples would be the two Dixon children of Carlos and Helen Ennis Dixon. Their son Dr. Harold Dixon had graduated from Wake Forest and the School of Dentistry at UNC Chapel Hill and their daughter Betty Ellen had received her dental assistant certificate during graduation ceremonies at UNC. Another example of success was of Pamela Rene Wolf who had received her Associate of Arts degree from Peace College in Raleigh. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John A. Wolf (Daily Record May 17 and 18th, 1971).
The Coats High School officials announced that Kent Hudson was valedictorian of the 1971 senior class. Debbie Jo Lee and Jimmy Grimes were co-salutatorians. Serving as Junior Class marshals were Alex Castellanos, chief; Danny West and Shearon Roberts. Sophomore Class marshals were Kent Turlington, Ann Pope and Haywood Collier while Freshmen Class honorees were Denise Adams, Randy Pope, Cathy Powell, and Ann Langdon.
The class mascots were Samantha Stewart and Jody Pollard. Vikki Faircloth, Karen Stewart, Denise Currin, Randy Suggs, and Rick Robinson rendered “Graduation Day”, and “May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You”. The program also included addresses by the president of the student body Tim Penny and by president of the senior class, Baxter Ennis. Herbert Johnson, chairman of the Coats Advisory Council, presented the diplomas. Mike Godwin as vice president and Debby Pollard as secretary-treasurer served with Baxter(Daily Record May 20, 1971).
A roster of the 1971 senior class follows: Terry Abney, Allie Bryant, Ora Mae Cameron, Rinda Cannady, Donna Currin, Allen Danenburg, Louise Day, Rhonda Denning, Gary Denton, Elaine Dixon, Baxter Ennis, Cavanna Ennis, Deborah Ennis, Jan Ennis, Mike Ennis, Elaine Faircloth, Jerry Gardner, Jimmy Grimes, Mike Godwin, Ronnie Hargis, Joey Hawley, Janie Horton, Elaine House, Kent Hudson, Paulette Johnson, Rex Jones, Dudley Langdon, Teresa Langdon, Debbie Jo Lee, Wayne Matthews, Barbara McNeill, Cathy Mitchell, Brookie Neighbors, Bonnie Norris, Kenneth Norris, Gloria Ogburn, Teresa Page, Dwight Parrish, Keith Parrish, Tim Penny, Danny Pollard, Debby Pollard, Tim Pollard, Brenda Poole, Douglas Pope, Lois Pope, Evonne Ray, Ray Roberts, Rick Robinson, Donald Sanders, Helen Shaw, Barbara Jackson Smith, LaRue Williams Sox, Cathy Spears, Randy Stephenson, Greg Stevens, Jerry Stevens, Gail Stewart, Wanda Ennis Turlington, Dennis Walden, John Walters, Joy Weaver, Marie Williams, Keith Wood, and Kay Young. Is any graduate missing?
New officers were selected for the Library Club for 1971-72 were Bethany Langdon, president; Janice Turlington, vice-president; Ann Pope, treasurer; Dan Ferrell, reporter; Debbie Joyner, historian; and Shearon Roberts, secretary. Marie Salmon was the club sponsor (Daily Record May 20, 1971).
How many class reunions have you attended? I do know that the Coats High School of 1938 had it class reunion in 1971. It was held at Marshbanks Hall at Campbell College. Twenty-four members of the class were present. Dr. and Mrs. Norman Wiggins later entertained the group with a reception at their home in Buies Creek. Those attending were Edna Ennis, Mavis Barefoot Parker, Annie Ruth Wood Turlington, Violet Hayes Rickers, Gretchen Danell Vick, Naomi Dixon Lee, Willie Franklin, Thurman Godwin, Mildred Harmon Wiggins, Eugene Stewart, Vera Stewart Ryals, Georgia Lee Engen, Ruby Johnson McLamb, Lottie Gregory Lewis, John Sorrell, Jr., Grace Tutor Johnson, Homer Williams, Beulah Cannady Stewart, Madeline Turner Holloman, Lottie Mae Stewart Creech, Earl Stewart, Hilda Altman Hudson, Charles Turlington and Gerald Hayes. Others attending were grade mothers-Mrs. Mamie Johnson and Mrs. Estelle Stewart. Their Principal and Mrs. J.T. Jerome and teacher Mrs. Miriam Rigbey were also in attendance (Daily Record May 24, 1971). Question—Are there any members of that class living today? I do know that Mrs. Mildred Harmon Wiggins and Naomi Dixon Lee are. Are there others?
The Coats Mother-Daughter Banquet was held at Coats. Debbie Ennis was president of the FHA organization (Daily Record May 26, 1971).
Jennifer Flowers is a popular name in Coats and it was a familiar name in 1971 because she was a rising senior at Campbell College where she had participated in the 1971 Baptist Youth Chorus. Miss Flowers was also serving as youth director of the Coats Baptist Church. At Campbell, she was president of the Baptist Student Union. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D.E. Flowers of Route 2, Angier (Daily Record May 31, 1971). Jennifer continues to make a difference in Coats where she is very involved with the Kiwanis Club of Coats.
Ennis is another popular name in the Coats area so likely many of them attended the funeral of Miss Iva Blanche Ennis, 58, who had died on a Tuesday. Her services were held at the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church with The Reverends Curtis Harper, Jr. and Larry Kline officiating. She was survived by her siblings-U.M. Ennis and Mrs. Melvin Avery (Daily Record June 2, 1971).
Joesph Turlington from Wendell dropped by the museum to donate his dress US Army military uniform he wore during his service in the Vietnam War. He is an interesting student of history and has added much Turlington genealogy to our research library shelves. Willis Turlington and Joe’s ancestor-Kader (Cader) Turlington were sons of William Turlington from Martin County. Willis’s early descendents lived in the Turlington Crossroads area while Kader’s were found more toward the Buies Creek area.
The Coats Museum Board of Directors met last Saturday to vote on four new board members who will replace Ralph Denning, Paul Parker, Hilda Pope and Walter Weeks who have rotated off after serving a three year term. They have been remarkable members who have been supportive of all events at the museum. We will really miss them and hope they continue to drop by the museum. New members voted to the board are Mayor Chris Coats, Kevin Pope, Brenda Rhiner, and Rhonda D. Stephenson. Should you cross paths with any of these eight people, please thank them for giving of their time and support of your town museum. H.L. Sorrell, Andy Cole, Ted Penny, Robie Butler, and Becky Adams remain as officers of the board.
Many times it takes the death of an educator to make us aware of just how much that person affected the lives of so many. Death sometimes shakes our memories of those days in the classrooms and how we use the knowledge, values and attitudes displayed by our teachers in our adult lives. The recent death of our Dan Honeycutt shook the memories of so many in Coats and countywide as to the impact that he had made on the lives of not only students but those adults with whom he led. For those of you who attended Coats High School in 1971, do you remember a teacher by the name of Mrs. Loretta Bullock Whitehead? Apparently after leaving Coats, she went to South Carolina where she died in Columbia according to the May 4, 1971 edition of the Daily Record.
A 1971 death which occurred in the Route One, Coats area was that of Tommy Matthews, 62. He never knew the impact his sons, nieces and nephews would have in the Coats community because he died when most of them were teenagers. Mr. Matthews was survived by his wife, Grace Matthews, and two sons-Craig and Donnie Matthews. The farmer was survived by five brothers-Nealie, William H., Lonnie, Dick and J.T. Matthews. His six sisters were Katie, Lula, Mrs. Joe E. Denton, Mrs. R.O. Byrd, Mrs. J.M. Ferrell, and Mrs. C.T. King (Daily Record May 5, 1971).
At the Coats High School, the student body had selected Student Council officers for 1971-72. Randy Suggs was voted as president, Kent Turlington as vice president, Michael Wood as secretary-treasurer, and Pam Stephenson as historian. On the county level, the Harnett County North Carolina Association of Educators installed officers at the annual banquet- Charles Marsh, president; Tommy Davis, vice president; Judith Dixon, secretary and Marie Salmon, treasurer (Daily Record May 4, 1971).
Mrs. Ina Wood was a patient at Good Hope Hospital. She was only one of several Coats folks who had spent time in hospitals in the area. Mrs. Mary Dennis, Mrs. Clettis Williams, Mrs. Mary Johnson, and Mr. William Coats had been in the hospital in early May (Daily Record May 12, 1971).
A Coats soldier was selected as Airman of the Year in Melton, England. The United States Air Force Sgt. Jerry R. Johnson was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Coy Johnson. Mr. Johnson was a pilot maintenance technician. Sgt. Johnson had been selected for his exemplary conduct and duty performance. Sgt. Johnson had attended Coats High School and was a 1955 graduate. His mom attended my church and was an amazing woman with common sense to share. She was a faithful reader of the Coats Museum News column and I am sorry that she is not here to revisit this exciting day in the life of her son (Daily Record May 12, 1971).
Who remember the Dupree’s who taught on the Coats School faculty? Do the names Betty, Sarah and Tallie H. Dupree ring a bell? I do know that Sarah Dupree was loved beyond words and had been in the classroom for 25 years because she was recognized with a 25-year pin at the Harnett County Board of Education in Lillington (Daily Record May 12, 1971).
Miss Wanda Cheryl Stephenson was engaged to marry Don Gary Denton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Don Denton of rural Coats. Mr. and Mrs. Donahue Stephenson made the announcement. The wedding was planned for June in the Coats Methodist Church (Daily Record May 14, 1971).
Superintendent R.A. Gray had presented a certificate of appreciation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to J.C. Hawley, principal of Coats High School. Membership was for three years and gave the school time to work for accreditation in the association. If end results of student successes played a role in membership, Coats should have had no problems. Good examples would be the two Dixon children of Carlos and Helen Ennis Dixon. Their son Dr. Harold Dixon had graduated from Wake Forest and the School of Dentistry at UNC Chapel Hill and their daughter Betty Ellen had received her dental assistant certificate during graduation ceremonies at UNC. Another example of success was of Pamela Rene Wolf who had received her Associate of Arts degree from Peace College in Raleigh. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John A. Wolf (Daily Record May 17 and 18th, 1971).
The Coats High School officials announced that Kent Hudson was valedictorian of the 1971 senior class. Debbie Jo Lee and Jimmy Grimes were co-salutatorians. Serving as Junior Class marshals were Alex Castellanos, chief; Danny West and Shearon Roberts. Sophomore Class marshals were Kent Turlington, Ann Pope and Haywood Collier while Freshmen Class honorees were Denise Adams, Randy Pope, Cathy Powell, and Ann Langdon.
The class mascots were Samantha Stewart and Jody Pollard. Vikki Faircloth, Karen Stewart, Denise Currin, Randy Suggs, and Rick Robinson rendered “Graduation Day”, and “May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You”. The program also included addresses by the president of the student body Tim Penny and by president of the senior class, Baxter Ennis. Herbert Johnson, chairman of the Coats Advisory Council, presented the diplomas. Mike Godwin as vice president and Debby Pollard as secretary-treasurer served with Baxter(Daily Record May 20, 1971).
A roster of the 1971 senior class follows: Terry Abney, Allie Bryant, Ora Mae Cameron, Rinda Cannady, Donna Currin, Allen Danenburg, Louise Day, Rhonda Denning, Gary Denton, Elaine Dixon, Baxter Ennis, Cavanna Ennis, Deborah Ennis, Jan Ennis, Mike Ennis, Elaine Faircloth, Jerry Gardner, Jimmy Grimes, Mike Godwin, Ronnie Hargis, Joey Hawley, Janie Horton, Elaine House, Kent Hudson, Paulette Johnson, Rex Jones, Dudley Langdon, Teresa Langdon, Debbie Jo Lee, Wayne Matthews, Barbara McNeill, Cathy Mitchell, Brookie Neighbors, Bonnie Norris, Kenneth Norris, Gloria Ogburn, Teresa Page, Dwight Parrish, Keith Parrish, Tim Penny, Danny Pollard, Debby Pollard, Tim Pollard, Brenda Poole, Douglas Pope, Lois Pope, Evonne Ray, Ray Roberts, Rick Robinson, Donald Sanders, Helen Shaw, Barbara Jackson Smith, LaRue Williams Sox, Cathy Spears, Randy Stephenson, Greg Stevens, Jerry Stevens, Gail Stewart, Wanda Ennis Turlington, Dennis Walden, John Walters, Joy Weaver, Marie Williams, Keith Wood, and Kay Young. Is any graduate missing?
New officers were selected for the Library Club for 1971-72 were Bethany Langdon, president; Janice Turlington, vice-president; Ann Pope, treasurer; Dan Ferrell, reporter; Debbie Joyner, historian; and Shearon Roberts, secretary. Marie Salmon was the club sponsor (Daily Record May 20, 1971).
How many class reunions have you attended? I do know that the Coats High School of 1938 had it class reunion in 1971. It was held at Marshbanks Hall at Campbell College. Twenty-four members of the class were present. Dr. and Mrs. Norman Wiggins later entertained the group with a reception at their home in Buies Creek. Those attending were Edna Ennis, Mavis Barefoot Parker, Annie Ruth Wood Turlington, Violet Hayes Rickers, Gretchen Danell Vick, Naomi Dixon Lee, Willie Franklin, Thurman Godwin, Mildred Harmon Wiggins, Eugene Stewart, Vera Stewart Ryals, Georgia Lee Engen, Ruby Johnson McLamb, Lottie Gregory Lewis, John Sorrell, Jr., Grace Tutor Johnson, Homer Williams, Beulah Cannady Stewart, Madeline Turner Holloman, Lottie Mae Stewart Creech, Earl Stewart, Hilda Altman Hudson, Charles Turlington and Gerald Hayes. Others attending were grade mothers-Mrs. Mamie Johnson and Mrs. Estelle Stewart. Their Principal and Mrs. J.T. Jerome and teacher Mrs. Miriam Rigbey were also in attendance (Daily Record May 24, 1971). Question—Are there any members of that class living today? I do know that Mrs. Mildred Harmon Wiggins and Naomi Dixon Lee are. Are there others?
The Coats Mother-Daughter Banquet was held at Coats. Debbie Ennis was president of the FHA organization (Daily Record May 26, 1971).
Jennifer Flowers is a popular name in Coats and it was a familiar name in 1971 because she was a rising senior at Campbell College where she had participated in the 1971 Baptist Youth Chorus. Miss Flowers was also serving as youth director of the Coats Baptist Church. At Campbell, she was president of the Baptist Student Union. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D.E. Flowers of Route 2, Angier (Daily Record May 31, 1971). Jennifer continues to make a difference in Coats where she is very involved with the Kiwanis Club of Coats.
Ennis is another popular name in the Coats area so likely many of them attended the funeral of Miss Iva Blanche Ennis, 58, who had died on a Tuesday. Her services were held at the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church with The Reverends Curtis Harper, Jr. and Larry Kline officiating. She was survived by her siblings-U.M. Ennis and Mrs. Melvin Avery (Daily Record June 2, 1971).
Joesph Turlington from Wendell dropped by the museum to donate his dress US Army military uniform he wore during his service in the Vietnam War. He is an interesting student of history and has added much Turlington genealogy to our research library shelves. Willis Turlington and Joe’s ancestor-Kader (Cader) Turlington were sons of William Turlington from Martin County. Willis’s early descendents lived in the Turlington Crossroads area while Kader’s were found more toward the Buies Creek area.
The Coats Museum Board of Directors met last Saturday to vote on four new board members who will replace Ralph Denning, Paul Parker, Hilda Pope and Walter Weeks who have rotated off after serving a three year term. They have been remarkable members who have been supportive of all events at the museum. We will really miss them and hope they continue to drop by the museum. New members voted to the board are Mayor Chris Coats, Kevin Pope, Brenda Rhiner, and Rhonda D. Stephenson. Should you cross paths with any of these eight people, please thank them for giving of their time and support of your town museum. H.L. Sorrell, Andy Cole, Ted Penny, Robie Butler, and Becky Adams remain as officers of the board.