March 28, 2025 Coats Museum News
Can you believe it is spring of 2025? The beautiful yellow buttercups are showing their amazing entrance and are joined by the redbuds, small pink magnolias and white pear trees. The various trees are gradually covering their skeletons with tender green leaves. However, in May of 1995, Travis Pollard was excited to be selected to go to the Campbell University Basketball School via a Coats Middle School Basketball Scholarship Award (Daily Record May 30, 1995).
Death had found its way back to Coats and had taken a beloved businessman. Joseph Edwin Parker, 79, of Route One, Coats, had died at the GHH in Erwin. He was the son of the late Frank and Betty Parker. Mr. Parker was the owner and operator of the Parker’s 4-Way and Coats Party Beverage businesses. His services were held at the Rose and Graham Funeral Home with Rev. Jesse Mooney officiating. His survivors include his wife, Inez Barnes Parker; two daughters-Edwina Gilbert and Linda Jo Johnson. Frank Parker was his son (Daily Record June 1, 1995).
A few days later two other Coats citizens also died with Coats connections. Mrs. Rebecca L. Barefoot, 31, of Coats was survived by Charles E. Barefoot and Robert Barefoot and her father John C. Barefoot.
Elgie McLeod Roberts, 64, of Coats died on Thursday in the Wake Medical Center. She was a member of the Hilltop FWB Church. Funeral services were held at the Rose and Graham Funeral Chapel with burial in the Devotional Gardens. Her husband, Milton Roberts, and her three sons-Donald, Ray and Jerry Roberts survived her (Daily Record June 5, 1995).
Is there anyone who remembers the “Jumping Jackets?” This group of Coats Elementary physical education students was coached by Doug Stevens (Daily Record June 7, 1995).
We live on the Big Branch of the Black River, so it is commonplace to see dozens of deer, beaver, wild turkey, blue and white fish herons but never a bald eagle until a short while back. It was an exciting moment so I can identify with Godfrey and Ann Beasley for seeing the beautiful American eagle soaring out of the sky while they were sitting in their yard.
It had to be exciting also for the Stevens family as they were acknowledging that Mary was retiring from the Harnett County Schools. Also making news in that June 8, 1995 edition of the Daily Record was that Carlie Spivey and fallen and broken her hip. She was a resident of the Brookfield Retirement Center in Lillington.
“Joy” is one of my favorite feelings –it is abstract and a free gift from God. That had to be the feeling the Williford and Whittington families were experiencing with the arrival of Ashton Marie Williford. She was the daughter of Tracy and Sherri Whittington Williford. Sherri was the daughter of Cheryl Dorman Whittington. Tracy’s parents were Mr. and Mrs. Willis Williford. The great grandparents were the late Millard S. and Vada Turlington Whittington and Thurman and Marie Dorman Smith. The paternal great-grandparents were the late Willis Williford and Mrs. Lessie Williford and Mrs. Nellie Baker and the late Leonard Baker (Daily Record June 8, 1995).
Some of you will recall that the newborn’s grandfather, 53-year-old Hartwell Whittington’s death announcement was in the May 25, 1995 edition of the Daily Record.
Good things were happening at the CACA. They had honored the police officers at a breakfast. Glenda Denton, chamber president, welcomed Chief Tommy Williford, Ray Brownie, Alvester McKoy, Randy Beasley and Nelson Baird. Reserve officers present were Terry Abney, S.T. Stewart, Larry Ryals, Kathy Pardue, and Keith Parrish. County officials present were County Commissioner Chairman H.L. Sorrell, Jr. and Sheriff Larry Knott. Town officials present were Don Ennis, Max Hayes Beasley, and Darrell Smith.
Good news came to the citizens of the town of Coats. The 1995-96 fiscal budget contained no tax increase. The town’s tax rate was 71 cents per $100 of property value. The town’s budget was just under 100 million dollars and the budget included money for one new police vehicle and a new leaf truck.
The garbage fee remained the same at $5.00 per month for once a week for residential pickup while businesses paid $6.50 for once a week also. Town employees were up for a 3 percent pay raise.
No one from the public attended the meeting. Marshall Woodall, town attorney, reported to the board that the people opposing the annexation had filed a brief with the appellate court. Town Manager Clenton Smith presented to the board a new thoroughfare plan to replace the ten-year-old plan.
Town officials were Mayor Frances Avery, Gale Spears, Max Beasley, Darrell Smith, Don Ennis and Bob Hedrick (Daily Record June 9, 1995).
The Coats Museum is so fortunate to have those who strongly support it. Donations, memorials and honorariums have really helped grow the building fund and pay our operating costs. Ralph and Lorena Denning are amazing donors. Another donor who has Denning in her DNA is Joy Dan Fleming Spivey. She graduated from the old Coats High School where she was a popular cheerleader. After college she taught school and retired back to Coats from Greensboro after her husband died. Joy has memorialized her classmate Frances Wood Garris, her cousin Dr. Richard Daniel, her friends Ted Penny and Gerri Honeycutt. Thanks goes to Joy, Ralph and Lorena –you are appreciated.
Can you believe it is spring of 2025? The beautiful yellow buttercups are showing their amazing entrance and are joined by the redbuds, small pink magnolias and white pear trees. The various trees are gradually covering their skeletons with tender green leaves. However, in May of 1995, Travis Pollard was excited to be selected to go to the Campbell University Basketball School via a Coats Middle School Basketball Scholarship Award (Daily Record May 30, 1995).
Death had found its way back to Coats and had taken a beloved businessman. Joseph Edwin Parker, 79, of Route One, Coats, had died at the GHH in Erwin. He was the son of the late Frank and Betty Parker. Mr. Parker was the owner and operator of the Parker’s 4-Way and Coats Party Beverage businesses. His services were held at the Rose and Graham Funeral Home with Rev. Jesse Mooney officiating. His survivors include his wife, Inez Barnes Parker; two daughters-Edwina Gilbert and Linda Jo Johnson. Frank Parker was his son (Daily Record June 1, 1995).
A few days later two other Coats citizens also died with Coats connections. Mrs. Rebecca L. Barefoot, 31, of Coats was survived by Charles E. Barefoot and Robert Barefoot and her father John C. Barefoot.
Elgie McLeod Roberts, 64, of Coats died on Thursday in the Wake Medical Center. She was a member of the Hilltop FWB Church. Funeral services were held at the Rose and Graham Funeral Chapel with burial in the Devotional Gardens. Her husband, Milton Roberts, and her three sons-Donald, Ray and Jerry Roberts survived her (Daily Record June 5, 1995).
Is there anyone who remembers the “Jumping Jackets?” This group of Coats Elementary physical education students was coached by Doug Stevens (Daily Record June 7, 1995).
We live on the Big Branch of the Black River, so it is commonplace to see dozens of deer, beaver, wild turkey, blue and white fish herons but never a bald eagle until a short while back. It was an exciting moment so I can identify with Godfrey and Ann Beasley for seeing the beautiful American eagle soaring out of the sky while they were sitting in their yard.
It had to be exciting also for the Stevens family as they were acknowledging that Mary was retiring from the Harnett County Schools. Also making news in that June 8, 1995 edition of the Daily Record was that Carlie Spivey and fallen and broken her hip. She was a resident of the Brookfield Retirement Center in Lillington.
“Joy” is one of my favorite feelings –it is abstract and a free gift from God. That had to be the feeling the Williford and Whittington families were experiencing with the arrival of Ashton Marie Williford. She was the daughter of Tracy and Sherri Whittington Williford. Sherri was the daughter of Cheryl Dorman Whittington. Tracy’s parents were Mr. and Mrs. Willis Williford. The great grandparents were the late Millard S. and Vada Turlington Whittington and Thurman and Marie Dorman Smith. The paternal great-grandparents were the late Willis Williford and Mrs. Lessie Williford and Mrs. Nellie Baker and the late Leonard Baker (Daily Record June 8, 1995).
Some of you will recall that the newborn’s grandfather, 53-year-old Hartwell Whittington’s death announcement was in the May 25, 1995 edition of the Daily Record.
Good things were happening at the CACA. They had honored the police officers at a breakfast. Glenda Denton, chamber president, welcomed Chief Tommy Williford, Ray Brownie, Alvester McKoy, Randy Beasley and Nelson Baird. Reserve officers present were Terry Abney, S.T. Stewart, Larry Ryals, Kathy Pardue, and Keith Parrish. County officials present were County Commissioner Chairman H.L. Sorrell, Jr. and Sheriff Larry Knott. Town officials present were Don Ennis, Max Hayes Beasley, and Darrell Smith.
Good news came to the citizens of the town of Coats. The 1995-96 fiscal budget contained no tax increase. The town’s tax rate was 71 cents per $100 of property value. The town’s budget was just under 100 million dollars and the budget included money for one new police vehicle and a new leaf truck.
The garbage fee remained the same at $5.00 per month for once a week for residential pickup while businesses paid $6.50 for once a week also. Town employees were up for a 3 percent pay raise.
No one from the public attended the meeting. Marshall Woodall, town attorney, reported to the board that the people opposing the annexation had filed a brief with the appellate court. Town Manager Clenton Smith presented to the board a new thoroughfare plan to replace the ten-year-old plan.
Town officials were Mayor Frances Avery, Gale Spears, Max Beasley, Darrell Smith, Don Ennis and Bob Hedrick (Daily Record June 9, 1995).
The Coats Museum is so fortunate to have those who strongly support it. Donations, memorials and honorariums have really helped grow the building fund and pay our operating costs. Ralph and Lorena Denning are amazing donors. Another donor who has Denning in her DNA is Joy Dan Fleming Spivey. She graduated from the old Coats High School where she was a popular cheerleader. After college she taught school and retired back to Coats from Greensboro after her husband died. Joy has memorialized her classmate Frances Wood Garris, her cousin Dr. Richard Daniel, her friends Ted Penny and Gerri Honeycutt. Thanks goes to Joy, Ralph and Lorena –you are appreciated.