May 28, 2021 Coats Museum News
The date on the calendar noted that it was June 2, 1987 when a Coats native, Betsy Pollard, was living an exciting life as a popular model. She also served as a nanny in England for some impressive couples. She sat for Sir Peter and Lady Emery in London and for Guy Edwards, a racecar driver. Betsy was the 1979 valedictorian graduate from Coats High School (Daily Record June 2, 1987).
Death had visited a much loved family with strong Coats connections. Jesse Ray Howard, 51, of Benson had died. Jesse was a retired prison nurse and was survived by his brother- Bill C. Howard and foster brother-Bobby Ray Caudle and sisters- Mrs. Lottie Norris and Mrs. Alene Allen. A current update on that family is that he was the uncle of Sandra Kay Howard who had a stellar career as a teacher and principal in the Harnett County Schools.
Matt Capps had pitched a no-hit, no-run game against Erwin in Junior League baseball. Jay Smith hit a homerun in that 4-0 game against Erwin. Elsewhere in Coats, Delilah Kelly- Postmistress, Graham Turlington,-rural mail carrier, and Cavel Gregory,-clerk were making plans to occupy the new Coats Post Office when construction was complete. The new building was constructed by the Currin and Dorman Construction Company of Coats (Daily Record June 5, 1987).
The Coats Woman’s Club honored Billy Gail Pope and his wife, Peggie Denning Pope, and children –Sharon McLamb and Mark Pope, as the Family of the Year. Billy, Peggie and Mark worked at the family’s popular Coats restaurant-Pope’s Barn, while Sharon was a fulltime teacher and was mother to Jill McLamb. Linda Massengill, president of the club, was honored as club member of the year (Daily Record June 8, 1987).
The Coats Area Chamber of Commerce continued to honor the businesses of the town. The Coats Video Store was the latest recipient and was owned by Benny Ray and Ruby Stephenson. Their son, Alan Stephenson was a part-time employee and was a Triton senior. Who knows the other children of Ruby and Benny Ray?
Mr. Mack Reid Hudson, Harnett County Commissioner, and wife-Juanita Hudson were among those who enjoyed the General Lee Celebrity Ball (Daily Record June 9, 1987). Does the museum continue to sponsor this ball? Better yet-have you ever visited the General Lee Museum? It is an amazing tribute to General Lee and to the people who made it happen and by the way the thing that struck me on my first visit there was the fact that the faces on the mannequins were molded after those of General Lee and his wife.
Was my expectation too shallow of what was in that Dunn museum? We are often told by visitors from other towns and states who visit our Coats Museum that they are floored that such a small town could have such a nice big museum. In fact last week our out-of-state visitors shared that when they were making plans to visit our museum and the local area that they expected to find a little one room museum because the town is so small. However, I don’t think that was a major concern to them and their friends back in Pennsylvania as was the fact that news had reached Pennsylvania that people in NC were filling up garbage bags with gas and they were concerned if they would be able to get gas for their rental car to drive to the lodging in Dunn and back to the Charlotte airport on Monday morning. News –bad and good-does travel, doesn’t it?
James Ray Langdon, 68, of Coats, had died. He was survived by his wife, Mrs. Rachel Stewart Langdon, and daughters-Mrs. Sue Ellen Eason and Mrs. Betty Westbrook. His brothers were W.M., Marcus Lee, and Ben Langdon (Daily Record June 11, 1987).
More “Notes from Coats” reported that Rhonda Pope, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sammy Pope, was valedictorian at Trition High School graduating class. Congratulations went to Jane Tyndall who was valedictorian of the Coats School graduating eighth grade class. Andora Bass and Wendy Williiams were co-salutatorians. Those three Coats girls would earn doctor’s degrees—pretty good to have several doctors in one class.
The seventh grade marshals at the Coats School were Chief Carmen Barnes, Michelle Adams, Amy Elizabeth Allen, Zackary Dorman, Marsha Allison Johnson, Bobbie Jean Moore, Anthony Wayne Tew, and Mary Carol Stephenson.
Jimmy Jernigan and wife, Nancy Jernigan, enjoyed a visit from their daughter, Karen Lee and her husband Scott Lee, and the grandchildren –Brandon and Nicole. Scott was serving in the military in Germany. He was the son of James Lee from Garner and Helen Lee from Coats.
Kim Maynor and Steve Allison were married in New Bern, NC. Kim was the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lester Williams. Congratulations also went to Jody Pollard and Tina Pollard, who were also married. Jody was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Pollard. Donahue Stephenson was honored as a volunteer fireman. Donahue was a contractor by trade, having his carpentry touch in many of the Coats homes, and had just built a horse and buggy for Casey and his wife Ann Jones.
Approximately 40 descendents of Louis Barnes and Flora Barnes attended a Barnes reunion. Birthday wishes went out to Faye Page, Gerald Pleasant, Ray Stancil, Doyle Barbour, Norfleet Gardner, Keith Stewart and Grady Matthews. Anniversary wishes were called out to Mr. and Mrs. Tim Penny, Mr. and Mrs. Doyle Barbour, Mr. and Mrs. Dale Ennis, Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Stewart, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Norris, Mr. and Mrs. Thurman Garriss, and Mr. and Mrs. Horace Johnson (Daily Record June 15, 1987).
The Coats farming community lost a friend when Roy Tew, a popular tobacco warehouseman, from Dunn died. He was killed in a truck crash. Mr. and Mrs. J.L. Adams announced the engagement oif their daughter, Belinda Mae Adams, to Robert Niedwick. Miss Adams was a graduate of Coats High School and the granddaughter of Mrs. Lillie Neighbors and Mrs. Bettie Adams (Daily Record June 19, 1987).
How many times have you heard someone say, “I can’t even remember what I had for supper last night”? We do live in such a fast-paced time that we do fight to keep up. One of the many perks of volunteering at a museum is that we are constantly revisiting and sharing the past. It is so rewarding to hear someone say –“This history stuff can become addictive.”
Friends and volunteers of the Coats Museum, and most likely volunteers at all museums, like to think that we are making a difference in the community. Other than bringing joy and curiosity to our visitors, we bring so much more. We bring tourism dollars into our community, county and our state. For example our awesome visitors from Pennsylvania last week flew into the Charlotte Airport, rented a car, spent two nights in a lodging in Dunn, ate at the Heath’s Steakhouse, had breakfast at Starbuck’s and were able to find gas. We have had this to happen over and over with bus loads of visitors from all over the state and country. So when you pass by a museum, think about what impact a museum can have on a community.
Our Coats Museum could not survive without faithful supporters who give memorials, honorariums and donations. Two our most generous supporters are Ralph and Lorena Denning who remembered Joe Gregory with a memorial to the Coats Museum this week. Joe had visited our museum on many occasions and I feel that he would be pleased that Ralph has remembered him-Thank You, Ralph and Lorena.
The date on the calendar noted that it was June 2, 1987 when a Coats native, Betsy Pollard, was living an exciting life as a popular model. She also served as a nanny in England for some impressive couples. She sat for Sir Peter and Lady Emery in London and for Guy Edwards, a racecar driver. Betsy was the 1979 valedictorian graduate from Coats High School (Daily Record June 2, 1987).
Death had visited a much loved family with strong Coats connections. Jesse Ray Howard, 51, of Benson had died. Jesse was a retired prison nurse and was survived by his brother- Bill C. Howard and foster brother-Bobby Ray Caudle and sisters- Mrs. Lottie Norris and Mrs. Alene Allen. A current update on that family is that he was the uncle of Sandra Kay Howard who had a stellar career as a teacher and principal in the Harnett County Schools.
Matt Capps had pitched a no-hit, no-run game against Erwin in Junior League baseball. Jay Smith hit a homerun in that 4-0 game against Erwin. Elsewhere in Coats, Delilah Kelly- Postmistress, Graham Turlington,-rural mail carrier, and Cavel Gregory,-clerk were making plans to occupy the new Coats Post Office when construction was complete. The new building was constructed by the Currin and Dorman Construction Company of Coats (Daily Record June 5, 1987).
The Coats Woman’s Club honored Billy Gail Pope and his wife, Peggie Denning Pope, and children –Sharon McLamb and Mark Pope, as the Family of the Year. Billy, Peggie and Mark worked at the family’s popular Coats restaurant-Pope’s Barn, while Sharon was a fulltime teacher and was mother to Jill McLamb. Linda Massengill, president of the club, was honored as club member of the year (Daily Record June 8, 1987).
The Coats Area Chamber of Commerce continued to honor the businesses of the town. The Coats Video Store was the latest recipient and was owned by Benny Ray and Ruby Stephenson. Their son, Alan Stephenson was a part-time employee and was a Triton senior. Who knows the other children of Ruby and Benny Ray?
Mr. Mack Reid Hudson, Harnett County Commissioner, and wife-Juanita Hudson were among those who enjoyed the General Lee Celebrity Ball (Daily Record June 9, 1987). Does the museum continue to sponsor this ball? Better yet-have you ever visited the General Lee Museum? It is an amazing tribute to General Lee and to the people who made it happen and by the way the thing that struck me on my first visit there was the fact that the faces on the mannequins were molded after those of General Lee and his wife.
Was my expectation too shallow of what was in that Dunn museum? We are often told by visitors from other towns and states who visit our Coats Museum that they are floored that such a small town could have such a nice big museum. In fact last week our out-of-state visitors shared that when they were making plans to visit our museum and the local area that they expected to find a little one room museum because the town is so small. However, I don’t think that was a major concern to them and their friends back in Pennsylvania as was the fact that news had reached Pennsylvania that people in NC were filling up garbage bags with gas and they were concerned if they would be able to get gas for their rental car to drive to the lodging in Dunn and back to the Charlotte airport on Monday morning. News –bad and good-does travel, doesn’t it?
James Ray Langdon, 68, of Coats, had died. He was survived by his wife, Mrs. Rachel Stewart Langdon, and daughters-Mrs. Sue Ellen Eason and Mrs. Betty Westbrook. His brothers were W.M., Marcus Lee, and Ben Langdon (Daily Record June 11, 1987).
More “Notes from Coats” reported that Rhonda Pope, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sammy Pope, was valedictorian at Trition High School graduating class. Congratulations went to Jane Tyndall who was valedictorian of the Coats School graduating eighth grade class. Andora Bass and Wendy Williiams were co-salutatorians. Those three Coats girls would earn doctor’s degrees—pretty good to have several doctors in one class.
The seventh grade marshals at the Coats School were Chief Carmen Barnes, Michelle Adams, Amy Elizabeth Allen, Zackary Dorman, Marsha Allison Johnson, Bobbie Jean Moore, Anthony Wayne Tew, and Mary Carol Stephenson.
Jimmy Jernigan and wife, Nancy Jernigan, enjoyed a visit from their daughter, Karen Lee and her husband Scott Lee, and the grandchildren –Brandon and Nicole. Scott was serving in the military in Germany. He was the son of James Lee from Garner and Helen Lee from Coats.
Kim Maynor and Steve Allison were married in New Bern, NC. Kim was the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lester Williams. Congratulations also went to Jody Pollard and Tina Pollard, who were also married. Jody was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Pollard. Donahue Stephenson was honored as a volunteer fireman. Donahue was a contractor by trade, having his carpentry touch in many of the Coats homes, and had just built a horse and buggy for Casey and his wife Ann Jones.
Approximately 40 descendents of Louis Barnes and Flora Barnes attended a Barnes reunion. Birthday wishes went out to Faye Page, Gerald Pleasant, Ray Stancil, Doyle Barbour, Norfleet Gardner, Keith Stewart and Grady Matthews. Anniversary wishes were called out to Mr. and Mrs. Tim Penny, Mr. and Mrs. Doyle Barbour, Mr. and Mrs. Dale Ennis, Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Stewart, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Norris, Mr. and Mrs. Thurman Garriss, and Mr. and Mrs. Horace Johnson (Daily Record June 15, 1987).
The Coats farming community lost a friend when Roy Tew, a popular tobacco warehouseman, from Dunn died. He was killed in a truck crash. Mr. and Mrs. J.L. Adams announced the engagement oif their daughter, Belinda Mae Adams, to Robert Niedwick. Miss Adams was a graduate of Coats High School and the granddaughter of Mrs. Lillie Neighbors and Mrs. Bettie Adams (Daily Record June 19, 1987).
How many times have you heard someone say, “I can’t even remember what I had for supper last night”? We do live in such a fast-paced time that we do fight to keep up. One of the many perks of volunteering at a museum is that we are constantly revisiting and sharing the past. It is so rewarding to hear someone say –“This history stuff can become addictive.”
Friends and volunteers of the Coats Museum, and most likely volunteers at all museums, like to think that we are making a difference in the community. Other than bringing joy and curiosity to our visitors, we bring so much more. We bring tourism dollars into our community, county and our state. For example our awesome visitors from Pennsylvania last week flew into the Charlotte Airport, rented a car, spent two nights in a lodging in Dunn, ate at the Heath’s Steakhouse, had breakfast at Starbuck’s and were able to find gas. We have had this to happen over and over with bus loads of visitors from all over the state and country. So when you pass by a museum, think about what impact a museum can have on a community.
Our Coats Museum could not survive without faithful supporters who give memorials, honorariums and donations. Two our most generous supporters are Ralph and Lorena Denning who remembered Joe Gregory with a memorial to the Coats Museum this week. Joe had visited our museum on many occasions and I feel that he would be pleased that Ralph has remembered him-Thank You, Ralph and Lorena.