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  • February 24, 2023
                                                                                             May 19, 2017 Coats Museum News
The calendar had displayed that it was the beginning of summer break for school kids who had transitioned from walking the halls of school buildings to leaving footprints from bare feet in the rows of corn, cotton, tobacco and vegetable gardens. For locals, weeds and grass had to be removed from those fields only to be followed by weeks of suckering and barning tobacco. Vegetables had to be preserved for winter months but many families had been able to sneak in a few trips to the beaches and lakes to reward the hard work of the youth who spent longer hours working at sweaty, physical labor than they had spent on mental work just a few weeks earlier.
These same youth likely used the first direct-dial long- distance telephone service then available in the United States. They heard about AT&T’s Telestar relaying the first TV programs across the Atlantic and later saw that satellite transmission change forever the nature of television viewing.
New words became a part of their vocabulary as they heard such words as cryobiology, retrofire, splashdown, and diet cola. Surely they were shocked that Marilyn Monroe had died at her Los Angeles home from a barbiturate overdose and that rioting among angry whites had erupted when James Meredith, a black student, attempted to enroll at the University of Mississippi.
Local news in the Coats area was that Mr. and Mrs. Fred Thomas had a birth announcement of a daughter on June 4th. The mother was the former Carolyn Surles (Daily Record June 5, 1962). Mrs. Ethel Stewart of rural Coats had entertained her Sunday School Class of Coats Baptist Church with a swim party at Lake Small and a cookout at her home. Names recorded who attended the outing were Linda Moore, Hope Stewart, Miriam Beard, Hazel Gregory, Glenda Flowers, Jeanette Stewart, Gail Grimes, Teresa Herring, Janet Carlson, Christine Stewart, and Nancy Cummings. Guests who attended were Ann and Lou Stewart and Bo Gregory (Daily Record June 6, 1962).Did you notice anything about the makeup of that class?
I do know that Mr. and Mrs. Troy Herman Daniels of rural Coats were parents of a daughter on June 7th. The mom was the former Margie Faye Williams. Elsewhere, Mrs. Alice Young Smith, an 82 year old from rural Angier, had died on Tuesday. She was sister of Mrs. Etta Adams of Route 2, Angier (Daily Record June 7, 1962).
Lonnie Oscar Stephenson of Coats had died on Wednesday. The Coats resident was 88 years old. Elders Henry Byrd, J. T. Lewis and A.D. McGee officiated. He was survived by seven children-Mrs. B.R. Fish, Mrs. Jodie Howard, Mrs. Z. Nassie Dorman, Claudine Stephenson, Lenora Stephenson, Bennie Ray Stephenson and Silas Stephenson (Daily Record June 9, 1962). Do you recognize any of those names? Now we know that Lonnie Dorman has part of his granddaddy’s name.
Maybe you recognize the name Mr. and Mrs. Carl Henry Parker who announced the birth of their son, Carlton Glenn, who arrived on June the 8th. The mom was the former Hilda Gray Dixon (Daily Record June 11th, 1962).
Joseph A. Palmer, Jr., Chief Machinist’s Mate, USN, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Palmer, Sr., of rural Dunn, was serving aboard the destroyer USS Rich which visited Lubeck, Germany as part of the largest force of US Naval ships to enter the Baltic Sea since WWII. Back local in Coats, Mr. and Mrs. Billy Ray West announced the arrival of a son. Mrs. West was the former Bonnie Allen.
The Coats Chapter of Future Homemakers of America had returned home from a week of fun and sun at White lake. Who were these lucky girls? Betty Avery, Judy Denning, Julia Taylor, Ann Ennis, Sandra Wolf, Barbara Strickland, Pam Dixon, Sandra Flowers, Doris Lawrence and Jo Ann Tart were listed (Daily Record June 12th, 1962).
Army 1st Lt. Williams Barnes, 24 year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Barnes of Route 2, Angier, had completed a course in basic German Language School, Augsburg, Germany. Billy was a 1955 graduate of Coats High School and a 1959 graduate of NC State College of Agriculture and Engineering, in Raleigh, NC (Daily Record June 13, 1962).
A daughter, Deborah Ann Wood, was born on June 16th to Mr. and Mrs. L.J. Wood. The mother was the former Patsy Ann Hicks (Daily Record June 18th, 1962).
The Harnett County Beauty pageant was held in Lillington and the Turlington HD Club had met at the home of Mrs. M.S. Whittington. Mrs. W.R. Langdon demonstrated “Cleaning Can Be Easy.” The Coats Woman’s Club convened in the home of Mrs. J.R. Butler with Mrs. Ophelia Roberts as co-hostess. New officers were Mrs. J.C. Hawley-president; Mrs. O.K. Keene, vice president; Mrs. Mrs. J.R. Butler, secretary and treasurer and Mrs. Hawley was to serve as program chairman (Daily Record June 19, 1962).
The ladies over in the Bailey’s Crossroads section who were in the Oakdale HC Club learned how to effectively use the vacuum cleaner from Mrs. Oliver Ennis, demonstrator (Daily Record June 20, 1962). What two conclusions can you draw from that demonstration?
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Glenn Stewart of Coats had a son, Robert Glenn Stewart, II. The mother was the former Joyce Williams of Coats.  Dave and Margaret House had carried their children to Carolina Beach for a day of family fun. Mr. and Mrs. Garland Coats and children, Penny and Mike, vacationed in the opposite direction on the map. The Coats family visited many places of interest in Washington, D.C.  Who was in the White House in 1962? Who was our US congressman and can you recall who the two US senators were?
This I do know. Gail Pope was a patient in the James Walker Memorial Hospital in Washington. Dr. Mabe of Erwin was the winner in the NC House run-off. Wonder if Dr. Mabe was the doctor of any of the following who were patients at Good Hope: Mr. Paul Pollard, Miss Jo Carol Penny, and Mrs. Mildred Gregory. Surely the Gregory household was saddened that Carson, Sr. had lost his house seat in Raleigh; however, good news did come to their son Joe. He was the 1962 State Star Dairy Farming Award recipient. That was one of the highest honors in FFA (Daily Record June 25, 1962).
Barbara Stewart, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Johnnie A. Stewart, of rural Coats, was one of the 126 graduates of Meredith College. Barbara received the degree of Bachelor of Arts. She was an education major and held membership in the Education Club, Spanish Club, Student League of Women Voters, and Astroteklon Society (Daily Record June 26, 1962). Does anyone know where Barbara is today?
The enjoyment continues for the volunteers who work at the museum. We never know who is going to walk through the doors on Thursday and Sunday afternoons. Mike Tocci from Sparks, Nevada spent several hours with us recently. His mother’s wedding dress and nightgown made from a reserve parachute are on display in our museum. Alma Tocci’s mother lived on Ebenezer Church Road. Both of Mike’s parents were WWII veterans. Mike’s dad was in the Air Corps and his mom was a WWII US Army nurse.
Mike visits us a couple of times a year and while here he fans out to visit other family and places. Mike  was visiting when museum board member Ralph Denning  from Raleigh dropped in. Mike shared that he had reservations to eat at The Chef and  the Farmer in Kinston and believe it not, Ralph shared his experience of eating there a few years ago for an anniversary date. Can you imagine having to make reservations months ahead which is the case at the restaurant The Chef and the Farmer? Thank you goes to Mike for his donation to the museum for operating costs.
We invite everyone to visit our Coats Museum on Sundays from2-5pm or on Thursdays from 9-3pm or visit our website coatsmuseum.com. We always learn something new when visitors come seeking or sharing family information. Last Sunday we had Mr. and Mrs. Larry Williams from Neills Creek visit to seek and share info on the Williams family who have deep Coats connections.
On August 5th from 10:00 to 12am on the Coats Heritage Square, Desi Campbell invites families to set up a table to share and collect family history with other family members.  Follow the column for more news about this event or call the museum on Thursdays from 9-3pm or on Sundays from 2-5pm.