March 14, 2025 Coats Museum News
What was the population of the United States in 2024? Does the number 342 million people surprise you? Wonder how many of them are over 100 years old. I do know that a couple of years earlier it was recorded that 89,739 people over 100 years old lived in America. Would you be surprised that is almost the number of people in Asheville, NC which has the population of about 94,000 people?
One of those 100 years plus citizens would be Mrs. Iva Wood Stone of Coats. This spry lady who can still maneuver around in high heels was recognized by the Town of Coats a few months ago. However, she was in the news in 1995 for another reason. Her husband, Ores F. Stone, of Route Three, Dunn had died at the age 75. He was the son of the late William Franklin Stone and Fannie Poole Stone. He was a member of the Erwin Chapel Church. Mr. Stone was a veteran of WWII and was retired from the maintenance department at Campbell University. His burial was in the Williams Cemetery in Coats. He was survived by his wife, Iva Wood and two daughters-Wanda Moody and Carol Elliott.; two brothers J.L. and R.M. Stone (Daily Record May 16, 1995).
Let’s update you on his two daughters- Wanda served her country in the military and retired back to Coats several years ago with her husband Leon, and she is a frequent visitor to our museum; whereas Carol died a few years back and spent her last years working at the Benson radio station. Both these ladies had the most beautiful voices so I can understand why Carol worked at the radio station.
Other news in that same edition of the Daily Record printed that the Coats Family of the Year for 1995 was a young family on Route One, Coats. The family members were Randy and Bonnie Lee Pope and their two sons-Bradley and Ryan. The article stated that they were the epitome of a Christian family. The father Randy had served as Chairman of the Board of Deacons, a teacher, and chairman of the Finance Committee at the Coats Baptist Church. His wife Bonnie sang in the choir, was a den mother of Troop 779, and was the 1991 Science Teacher of the Year.
Their son Bradley was a seventh grader who had twice won the science fair awards. He played all sports. Ryan was a second grader. He was active in the choir for children, was a Coats Cub Scout, and loved helping their granddaddy Tommy Pope raise Beagle puppies (Daily Record May 22, 1995).
Can you even imagine how much more could be written about that family in 2025? Didn’t the two young men earn their Eagle rank in Scouts and isn’t Ryan active in his financial services and the CACC?
Another person recognized for community involvement was Laura Langdon who was named the Coats Woman’s Club “Woman of the Year for 1994-95”. Th recipient exemplified the attributes of worthy womanhood in many walks of life. This was the third time she had been awarded this honor. Laura was a member of the Coats Baptist Church, Christian Women’s Club, and Hospice volunteer. She was the wife of J.A. Langdon, Jr., mother to Teresa Ennis, Cynthia Langdon, and Sandy Langdon.
Does it seem possible that the last graduating class from Coats High School was 40 years ago? In 1995, the Coats High School Class of 1945 held its 50th class reunion at the Coats Senior Citizens Center. Many of the members had not seen each other since 1945. Mack Reid Hudson and several other local members of the class planned the event. Anna Lee Crumpler, world –renowned harpist, played for the event. Sherrill Coats rendered invocation. Only three of the twelve teachers survived and two of them attended- Mrs. Virginia Senter Currin and M.O. Phillips. Read to discover those in that 1945 class. Mack Reid Hudson, Willa Dean Pope Powell, Sherrill Coats, Jean Willis Coats, Janie Adams Denning, Milton Blalock, Naomi Stewart Byrd, Thelma Wilburn Galloway, Roy Stuart Langdon, Joseph Lee, Jr., Margaret Parrish Marcom, Leron Parrish, Kay Sorrell, Eula Gregory Stancil, Celesta Raynor Strickland, Graham Turlington, Gilda Grey Turner Blackman, Tony Upchurch, Doris Byrd Wood, Audrey Lamm Stewart, Mildred Turlington Hudson and Annie Lee Messer Foy (Daily Record May 23, 1995).
New officers were installed for the Coats Woman’s Club for 1995-96. They were President Julia Stewart, Vice President Sharon Stevens, Secretary Gayle Sorrell, Treasurer Linda Johnson and Chaplain Laura Langdon (Daily Record May 24, 1995).
It was only May of 1995 and we have been to a funeral, Woman’s Club banquet and installation and a class reunion so shall we now attend a pig picking at the home of Garner Rose and Doris Ennis for her Sunday School Class. Their son, Mike Ennis, cooked the pig and Belle of the “Notes from Coats” said it was the best she had ever had.
The museum is really pretty with its seasonal decorations. Drop in on a Thursday from 9 until 3 and share with Becky Adams a story that you might remember about one of the old businesses in Coats.
What was the population of the United States in 2024? Does the number 342 million people surprise you? Wonder how many of them are over 100 years old. I do know that a couple of years earlier it was recorded that 89,739 people over 100 years old lived in America. Would you be surprised that is almost the number of people in Asheville, NC which has the population of about 94,000 people?
One of those 100 years plus citizens would be Mrs. Iva Wood Stone of Coats. This spry lady who can still maneuver around in high heels was recognized by the Town of Coats a few months ago. However, she was in the news in 1995 for another reason. Her husband, Ores F. Stone, of Route Three, Dunn had died at the age 75. He was the son of the late William Franklin Stone and Fannie Poole Stone. He was a member of the Erwin Chapel Church. Mr. Stone was a veteran of WWII and was retired from the maintenance department at Campbell University. His burial was in the Williams Cemetery in Coats. He was survived by his wife, Iva Wood and two daughters-Wanda Moody and Carol Elliott.; two brothers J.L. and R.M. Stone (Daily Record May 16, 1995).
Let’s update you on his two daughters- Wanda served her country in the military and retired back to Coats several years ago with her husband Leon, and she is a frequent visitor to our museum; whereas Carol died a few years back and spent her last years working at the Benson radio station. Both these ladies had the most beautiful voices so I can understand why Carol worked at the radio station.
Other news in that same edition of the Daily Record printed that the Coats Family of the Year for 1995 was a young family on Route One, Coats. The family members were Randy and Bonnie Lee Pope and their two sons-Bradley and Ryan. The article stated that they were the epitome of a Christian family. The father Randy had served as Chairman of the Board of Deacons, a teacher, and chairman of the Finance Committee at the Coats Baptist Church. His wife Bonnie sang in the choir, was a den mother of Troop 779, and was the 1991 Science Teacher of the Year.
Their son Bradley was a seventh grader who had twice won the science fair awards. He played all sports. Ryan was a second grader. He was active in the choir for children, was a Coats Cub Scout, and loved helping their granddaddy Tommy Pope raise Beagle puppies (Daily Record May 22, 1995).
Can you even imagine how much more could be written about that family in 2025? Didn’t the two young men earn their Eagle rank in Scouts and isn’t Ryan active in his financial services and the CACC?
Another person recognized for community involvement was Laura Langdon who was named the Coats Woman’s Club “Woman of the Year for 1994-95”. Th recipient exemplified the attributes of worthy womanhood in many walks of life. This was the third time she had been awarded this honor. Laura was a member of the Coats Baptist Church, Christian Women’s Club, and Hospice volunteer. She was the wife of J.A. Langdon, Jr., mother to Teresa Ennis, Cynthia Langdon, and Sandy Langdon.
Does it seem possible that the last graduating class from Coats High School was 40 years ago? In 1995, the Coats High School Class of 1945 held its 50th class reunion at the Coats Senior Citizens Center. Many of the members had not seen each other since 1945. Mack Reid Hudson and several other local members of the class planned the event. Anna Lee Crumpler, world –renowned harpist, played for the event. Sherrill Coats rendered invocation. Only three of the twelve teachers survived and two of them attended- Mrs. Virginia Senter Currin and M.O. Phillips. Read to discover those in that 1945 class. Mack Reid Hudson, Willa Dean Pope Powell, Sherrill Coats, Jean Willis Coats, Janie Adams Denning, Milton Blalock, Naomi Stewart Byrd, Thelma Wilburn Galloway, Roy Stuart Langdon, Joseph Lee, Jr., Margaret Parrish Marcom, Leron Parrish, Kay Sorrell, Eula Gregory Stancil, Celesta Raynor Strickland, Graham Turlington, Gilda Grey Turner Blackman, Tony Upchurch, Doris Byrd Wood, Audrey Lamm Stewart, Mildred Turlington Hudson and Annie Lee Messer Foy (Daily Record May 23, 1995).
New officers were installed for the Coats Woman’s Club for 1995-96. They were President Julia Stewart, Vice President Sharon Stevens, Secretary Gayle Sorrell, Treasurer Linda Johnson and Chaplain Laura Langdon (Daily Record May 24, 1995).
It was only May of 1995 and we have been to a funeral, Woman’s Club banquet and installation and a class reunion so shall we now attend a pig picking at the home of Garner Rose and Doris Ennis for her Sunday School Class. Their son, Mike Ennis, cooked the pig and Belle of the “Notes from Coats” said it was the best she had ever had.
The museum is really pretty with its seasonal decorations. Drop in on a Thursday from 9 until 3 and share with Becky Adams a story that you might remember about one of the old businesses in Coats.