March 18, 2022 Coats Museum News
The date printed on the Daily Record disclosed that it was the July 20, 1989 edition. How excited many local boys who played on the Little League teams must have been to see their names in print. The Coats All-Star Little League team had been named under the leadership of Don Ennis, Claude Pope, and Marty Spivey. The players were Jason Faircloth, Brandon Norris, Brad Butler, Robbie Davis, Hunter Hall, Roger Tart, Clint Honeycutt, Chris Johnson, Ricky Johnson, Adam Ennis, Robbie Pope, Phil Avery, Cullen Matthews, David Pope, Eric Byrd, and Glenn Faircloth. The team went on to finish as runner-up to Dunn in the District V Tar Heel Little League Tournament.
Wonder if those fellows on that team wonder where has time gone -in fact -thirty-three years of it? I do know that Sonnie and Michael Pope and sons-Nicholas and Mitchell were in Atlanta, GA. for a working vacation. Michael attended a painting school for NAPA, but part of the time was spent sightseeing with his family.
Do you recall that Tom Tart had had a hospital stay a few weeks back? He apparently had recovered well because Belle Williams shared in her Notes that Tom and his wife Pearl Tart, along with Zennie and Ann Poole, had just returned from a trip to Lubbock, TX where they had visited the ladies’ sisters.
Question- Were Ann and Pearl sisters or did they both just happen to have sisters living in TX? Were they Coats girls?
The CACC had announced that the Business Focus of the Week was Campbell University. President Norman Wiggins who married our local girl, Millie Harmon, and his Vice President for Academic Affairs (?) were on hand for the presentation by CACC Randy Rambeau (Daily Record July 20, 1989).
A tragedy had struck the rural community about two miles north of Coats on NC 55 when a popular, 84 year -old gas station owner, Floyd Blalock, was found beaten to death by an unknown assailant . Despite the efforts of the Harnett County Sheriff’s Department and the SBI, authorities were unable to apprehend the assailant. Mr. Blalock had lived in the home on NC55 since 1939 and had operated the gas station since the early 1950’s. A neighbor and friend of Mr. Blalock was Carson Gregory who reported that Mr. Blalock was always jolly and never grumbled.
To my knowledge this murder has never been solved. The Blalock family was so respected. I heard the name from my earliest years. Their older daughter Sylvia graduated with my older sister Alice and they remained friends even after college. Their younger daughter Evelyn graduated with my sister Joyce and served as one of her bridesmaids. Their son Donald Blalock was an outstanding graduate of Coats High School and had married his classmate Ann Pleasant who was not only an academic achiever but played basketball with my sister Sue on the Coats High team.
The community desperately wanted the murderer captured so much that many gave reward money hoping to get a closure to this crime. As time has passed, does anyone know if they had any clues as to who committed this crime on the frail but loveable little man?
On a happier note, State Labor Commissioner, John C. Brooks, presented Ann P. Weaver, an administrative assistant in the OSHA Division, with a five-year award. Was she connected to Coats? Mrs. Lynn Hayes had celebrated her 91st birthday with family at the Western Sizzlin in Dunn. During the annual Parrish reunion, Mrs. Hayes was honored again. She was the daughter of Manley and Margaret Parrish (Daily Record July 25, 1989).
Who remembers Doan Coats? She was the beautiful, tall girl who graduated from Coats High in 1966 and went on to earn her PHD from UNC Chapel Hill. Wonder if her grandmother Hayes lived long enough to see Doan’s accomplishment?
Becky Lawrence, daughter of Dorothy Lawrence and the late Larry Lawrence, had been selected as one of the America’s high school students by Who’s Who Among High School Students. Becky would later graduate in 1991 from Triton High School. Some of us remember that her grandmother worked in the Coats School cafeteria and Becky was also the niece of Lillian Earp who was the cafeteria manager.
In the Notes column, special tribute was paid to Pam Stephenson Tart for her 10th anniversary of working at the Coats Baptist Day Care. Pam, who was married to Raymond Tart, Jr., had been a devoted caregiver and a positive influence in the lives of many little ones going through the day care.
Another lady who made a difference in the lives of others was Frances Wells with her work with the MADD-Mothers Against Drunk Driving organization. Her dedication helped lead to the opening of a new State Office for the organization in Raleigh.
Betty Barnes was surprised when her husband David Barnes took her out to dinner in Raleigh and found ten Coats friends waiting to celebrate with her on her 39th birthday. Another happy lady was Mrs. Elma Langdon from the Coats Baptist Church. She was showing folks her beautiful watch that her husband Roy Langdon had given her for their 38th wedding anniversary.
Ladies, do you remember any of your anniversary gifts from your husband? I bet many of you will recall when the T-Mart in Coats was built. On July 27 of 1989 the T-Mart was the CACC Business Focus of the Week. Those on hand for the award were Brenda White, Kim Dew, Wilma Morris, Ron Jenkins, Randy Rambeau and Doris Hall.
The chamber was faithful in recognizing the business members of their organization. It recognized Stewart’s Tire and Muffler Service as the Business Focus of the Week. The business was owned and operated by Ronnie Stewart. Ronnie was following in the footsteps of his father Leroy Stewart (Daily Record Aug. 1, 1989).
Question-was Ronnie teaching school at Triton at this time, also? I bet the folks who ate those delicious meals at Rudy’s Restaurant in Coats would know the answer. Rudy Collins owned the business that was the CACC Business Focus of the Week. Employees who assisted the manager Margaret Surles were Robert Tharp, Kay Tharp, Obie Stewart, Lisa Roberts, Linda Lum, Virginia Bennett, and Angela Warren (Daily Record Aug. 14, 1989).
Belle mentioned several popular names in her Aug. 15, 1989 column. She extended sympathy to Kathryn Phillips at the loss of her mother, Exie Smith. Congratulations were extended to Howard Penny, Jr., for his promotion. Thelma Johnson had just returned from a month long vacation with her son Larry Johnson and his wife Arvilla Johnson in San Diego, CA. Jenny West had hosted a baseball birthday party for her son, Brooks West, at the Coats Recreation Park. Brooks turned nine years of age. Guests were Chris Gardner, Chris Pope, Kevin Blackman, Ashley Stewart, Clint Honeycutt, Jerry Tysinger, Mitchell Pope, Nicholas Pope, Garyen Denning, Steven Tart, Dallas Messer and Jason Parrish.
Death continues to harvest Coats Grove area folks. Bill Williford, who had spent his early hours at Hardee’s for breakfast, is one of the latest to die. H.L. has memorialized Bill with a donation to the Coats Museum. More and more empty seats can be noticed at the local gathering place for breakfast.
The date printed on the Daily Record disclosed that it was the July 20, 1989 edition. How excited many local boys who played on the Little League teams must have been to see their names in print. The Coats All-Star Little League team had been named under the leadership of Don Ennis, Claude Pope, and Marty Spivey. The players were Jason Faircloth, Brandon Norris, Brad Butler, Robbie Davis, Hunter Hall, Roger Tart, Clint Honeycutt, Chris Johnson, Ricky Johnson, Adam Ennis, Robbie Pope, Phil Avery, Cullen Matthews, David Pope, Eric Byrd, and Glenn Faircloth. The team went on to finish as runner-up to Dunn in the District V Tar Heel Little League Tournament.
Wonder if those fellows on that team wonder where has time gone -in fact -thirty-three years of it? I do know that Sonnie and Michael Pope and sons-Nicholas and Mitchell were in Atlanta, GA. for a working vacation. Michael attended a painting school for NAPA, but part of the time was spent sightseeing with his family.
Do you recall that Tom Tart had had a hospital stay a few weeks back? He apparently had recovered well because Belle Williams shared in her Notes that Tom and his wife Pearl Tart, along with Zennie and Ann Poole, had just returned from a trip to Lubbock, TX where they had visited the ladies’ sisters.
Question- Were Ann and Pearl sisters or did they both just happen to have sisters living in TX? Were they Coats girls?
The CACC had announced that the Business Focus of the Week was Campbell University. President Norman Wiggins who married our local girl, Millie Harmon, and his Vice President for Academic Affairs (?) were on hand for the presentation by CACC Randy Rambeau (Daily Record July 20, 1989).
A tragedy had struck the rural community about two miles north of Coats on NC 55 when a popular, 84 year -old gas station owner, Floyd Blalock, was found beaten to death by an unknown assailant . Despite the efforts of the Harnett County Sheriff’s Department and the SBI, authorities were unable to apprehend the assailant. Mr. Blalock had lived in the home on NC55 since 1939 and had operated the gas station since the early 1950’s. A neighbor and friend of Mr. Blalock was Carson Gregory who reported that Mr. Blalock was always jolly and never grumbled.
To my knowledge this murder has never been solved. The Blalock family was so respected. I heard the name from my earliest years. Their older daughter Sylvia graduated with my older sister Alice and they remained friends even after college. Their younger daughter Evelyn graduated with my sister Joyce and served as one of her bridesmaids. Their son Donald Blalock was an outstanding graduate of Coats High School and had married his classmate Ann Pleasant who was not only an academic achiever but played basketball with my sister Sue on the Coats High team.
The community desperately wanted the murderer captured so much that many gave reward money hoping to get a closure to this crime. As time has passed, does anyone know if they had any clues as to who committed this crime on the frail but loveable little man?
On a happier note, State Labor Commissioner, John C. Brooks, presented Ann P. Weaver, an administrative assistant in the OSHA Division, with a five-year award. Was she connected to Coats? Mrs. Lynn Hayes had celebrated her 91st birthday with family at the Western Sizzlin in Dunn. During the annual Parrish reunion, Mrs. Hayes was honored again. She was the daughter of Manley and Margaret Parrish (Daily Record July 25, 1989).
Who remembers Doan Coats? She was the beautiful, tall girl who graduated from Coats High in 1966 and went on to earn her PHD from UNC Chapel Hill. Wonder if her grandmother Hayes lived long enough to see Doan’s accomplishment?
Becky Lawrence, daughter of Dorothy Lawrence and the late Larry Lawrence, had been selected as one of the America’s high school students by Who’s Who Among High School Students. Becky would later graduate in 1991 from Triton High School. Some of us remember that her grandmother worked in the Coats School cafeteria and Becky was also the niece of Lillian Earp who was the cafeteria manager.
In the Notes column, special tribute was paid to Pam Stephenson Tart for her 10th anniversary of working at the Coats Baptist Day Care. Pam, who was married to Raymond Tart, Jr., had been a devoted caregiver and a positive influence in the lives of many little ones going through the day care.
Another lady who made a difference in the lives of others was Frances Wells with her work with the MADD-Mothers Against Drunk Driving organization. Her dedication helped lead to the opening of a new State Office for the organization in Raleigh.
Betty Barnes was surprised when her husband David Barnes took her out to dinner in Raleigh and found ten Coats friends waiting to celebrate with her on her 39th birthday. Another happy lady was Mrs. Elma Langdon from the Coats Baptist Church. She was showing folks her beautiful watch that her husband Roy Langdon had given her for their 38th wedding anniversary.
Ladies, do you remember any of your anniversary gifts from your husband? I bet many of you will recall when the T-Mart in Coats was built. On July 27 of 1989 the T-Mart was the CACC Business Focus of the Week. Those on hand for the award were Brenda White, Kim Dew, Wilma Morris, Ron Jenkins, Randy Rambeau and Doris Hall.
The chamber was faithful in recognizing the business members of their organization. It recognized Stewart’s Tire and Muffler Service as the Business Focus of the Week. The business was owned and operated by Ronnie Stewart. Ronnie was following in the footsteps of his father Leroy Stewart (Daily Record Aug. 1, 1989).
Question-was Ronnie teaching school at Triton at this time, also? I bet the folks who ate those delicious meals at Rudy’s Restaurant in Coats would know the answer. Rudy Collins owned the business that was the CACC Business Focus of the Week. Employees who assisted the manager Margaret Surles were Robert Tharp, Kay Tharp, Obie Stewart, Lisa Roberts, Linda Lum, Virginia Bennett, and Angela Warren (Daily Record Aug. 14, 1989).
Belle mentioned several popular names in her Aug. 15, 1989 column. She extended sympathy to Kathryn Phillips at the loss of her mother, Exie Smith. Congratulations were extended to Howard Penny, Jr., for his promotion. Thelma Johnson had just returned from a month long vacation with her son Larry Johnson and his wife Arvilla Johnson in San Diego, CA. Jenny West had hosted a baseball birthday party for her son, Brooks West, at the Coats Recreation Park. Brooks turned nine years of age. Guests were Chris Gardner, Chris Pope, Kevin Blackman, Ashley Stewart, Clint Honeycutt, Jerry Tysinger, Mitchell Pope, Nicholas Pope, Garyen Denning, Steven Tart, Dallas Messer and Jason Parrish.
Death continues to harvest Coats Grove area folks. Bill Williford, who had spent his early hours at Hardee’s for breakfast, is one of the latest to die. H.L. has memorialized Bill with a donation to the Coats Museum. More and more empty seats can be noticed at the local gathering place for breakfast.