May 31, 2019 Coats Museum News
Just as May was the month for the 2019 high school and college graduates to walk and receive their diplomas, so was the case in May of 1977. The 1977 Coats High graduates had held their commencement night. Mike West had served as class president and Glenn Avery presided over the student government. Tyrone Williams was valedictorian while James Johnson merited the salutatorian.
Edward Turlington was a member of the HCBOE and made remarks while Albert Gregory, chairman of the Coats advisory board, presented the diplomas. Bonnie Whittington sang several songs and little Lenee Sorrell and Fred Strickland were class mascots.
The seniors in the Class of 1977 had begun school in 1965 and that was many moons ago for this group of seniors but there were memories that they could recall with love, respect and pride in the senior year as they turned the pages of their annual.
There was the memory of selecting Kathy Bradley as the teacher to receive the honor of having the yearbook dedicated to her. There were fond memories of Principal Joe Hawley. Debbie Turlington and Anthony Baker had served as editor and business manager of the Echoing Memories. The student council recorded that Donald Ennis, Shelia Pope and Gary McKoy were elected officers. John Langdon, Henry Turlington, Bonnie Whittington, Ty William and Liza Fuquay were the leadership team of the Beta Honor Society.
Senior marshals for 1976 had been Ty Williams, James. T. Johnson, John Langdon, Lisa Fuquay, Keith Faulkner, Michael Pope, Emma Jo Knox, Henry Turlington and Cathy Barefoot. Joy Norris, Jenny Williams, and Cynthia Langdon were officers in Mrs. Marie Salmon’s Photography Club. Anthony Baker, Karen Pope, Deborah Stewart and Cynthia Langdon were FBLA officers.
Martie Edwards, Cathy Honeycutt, Teresa Tart, Darlene West, Judy Daniels, Bonnie Whittington, and Vivian Faircloth were the officers of FHA of which Mrs. Frances Thomas was advisor. Henry Turlington, Max Matthews, Jr., Brent Beasley, Tommy McLamb, John Langdon, Scott Fleming, and Donald Ennis were FFA leaders. Dan Honeycutt was the advisor.
Karen Pope and Donald Ennis led the PEP Club. Danny Stanley, Rita Young, Cynthia Langdon and Donald Ennis were officers of Monogram Club under Billy Ray Turner. Mike West and Debbie Turlington were Mr. and Mrs. Echoing Memories while Karen Pope was Miss Coats High. Her attendants were Cathy Barefoot, Debra Dunston, Sherry Norris, Karen Shannon, Shelia Pope, Jennifer Johnson, Cindy Barnes, Sharon Rowland and Sharon Walden. Gloria Spears was selected Miss Congeniality.
In the fall of 1976, the seniors had selected the superlatives for the class. They voted on class members that they perceived to have characteristics that matched the title. Terri Poole and Ty Williams were voted Most Talented and Karen Pope and Danny Stanley were the Most Athletic. Pam Ennis and Wade Daniel were the Most Courteous and Rita Young and Kimry Gardner were picked the Most Likely to Succeed. Joy Denton and Alan Pope were selected Most Dependable and Gloria Spears and Bobby Godwin were the Friendliest. Martie Edwards and Anthony Baker were Neatest while Jenny Williams and Mike West were the Cutest. Debbie Turlington and Ty Williams won the Most Intellectual. Cynthia Langdon and Kimry Gardner were the Wittiest. Cathy Barefoot and Mike West were Beau and Belle. Cynthia Langdon and Glenn Avery were Most School Spirited and Karen Pope and Randy Caudle were Best Sports. Karen Pope and Glenn Avery were Best All Around. Jatanna Stephenson and Terry Capri were Most Original. Joyce Johnson had been picked Midget Homecoming Queen and Melinda Stanley had won Pee Wee Homecoming Queen.
The following students were listed as being in the Coats High Class of 1977: JoAnne Ammons, Bobby Glenn Avery, Anthony Baker, Cathy Barefoot, Marisha Barnes, Pansy Blackman, Michael Capps, Timothy Capps, Terry Capri, Randy Caudle, Donald Wayne Charles, Michael Joseph Cochran, Pattie Sue Colville, Wade Daniel, Shelton A. Davis, Joy Denton, Kimberly Dixon, Debra Dunston, Martie B. Edwards, Terry Ennis, Pamela Ennis, Roderick Bruce Ennis, Kimry Gardner, Robert Alan Godwin, James Thomas Johnson, Paul Lee Johnson, Teresa J. Johnson, Pamela Lynn Kennedy, Cynthia Langdon, Devaul Dess Langdon, Sharon Lee Langdon, Ermma Dean McCutchen, Joyce Jean McKoy, Ronnie E. Nordan, Kathy Parker, Suzanne Parker, Catherine Christie Poole, Terri L. Poole, Alan Pope, Karen Pope, Jerry Roberts, Mary Ann Scurlock, Kathie Elaine Smith, Gloria Spears, Danny Stanley, Debbie Stanley, Jatana Stephenson, Belinda Tart, Connie Mack Tart, Debbie Turlington, Michael West, Betty Jean Williams, Tyrone Williams, Jennifer Williams, Rita Young and Ricky Messer (Echoing Memories 1977).
Dr. Anne Moore was seeking to establish a Harnett County Council on the Status of Women. There were 57 county councils in NC in 1977. Elsewhere in the Coats area, Miss Madeline Ursula Reber of Switzerland was one of the special delegates to the 4-H Youth Exchange program. The 24 year-old home economics student stayed with Mr. and Mrs. Mack Reid Hudson.
Do you recall that a talkathon was to be held to raise money for the Coats Rescue Squad? Del Forest, captain of the squad, reported that $5,500 was raised during the event. Leroy Williams was assistant captain. Seventy-five pints of blood were collected in the Coats blood drive. Edna Collier Langdon was presented a “one gallon pin” (Daily Record May 25, 1977).
Major and Mrs. Charles Odum of Coats were presented the Family Life Award by the Coats Woman’s Club. Mrs. Garland Johnson, Chairman of the Home Life Committee for the club, presented the award. Grady Matthews, Coats resident, represented Harnett County at Nationwide Insurance’s 57 year history in Columbus, Ohio (Daily Record May 30, 1977).
Coats policeman John Daniel Ferrell placed third on the honors test at NC Justice Academy at Salemburg (Daily Record June 1, 1977). Does anyone know where Dan is today?
I do know that Miss Mary Ida Grimes, 81, of Benson but formerly of Coats, had died on Wednesday. Her two sisters were Mrs. Myrtle Godwin and Mrs. P.B. Wood, Jr. Delma, Clyde and E. Carlos Grimes were her brothers (Daily Record June 2, 1977).
Mr. and Mrs. Marc Anthony Powell pledged their vows at the Coats United Methodist Church. The bride was the former Jean Marie Johnson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Craig K. Johnson. Mr. and Mrs. H. Graymon Powell were parents of Marc.
Other news in that same edition of the June 6, 1977 Daily Record was that Herbert Lee Cutts had died on Friday. The seventy-six year-old Coats man was buried at Lakeside Memorial Gardens after his services were held at the Pleasant Memory Baptist Church. Surviving Mr. Cutts were his wife, Mrs. Iva Bayles Cutts, two sons-Billy and Herbert Lee Cutts, Jr. and one bother H.H. Cutts of Coats.
Another obituary in the same paper shared that James Frank Avery, 90, had died on Sunday. Services were held at Prospect Freewiil Baptist Church. Burial was in the church cemetery. Mrs. Bruce Gomedella, Mahlon, Alton and Earl Avery were his children. Lela Avery Johnson was a sister.
Mack Reid Hudson was appointed by the HCBOC to serve with Graham Henry of Dunn who served as Chairman of the Harnett County Jury Commission (Daily Record June 8, 1977).
Miss Susan Rebecca Tripp and Don Gary Denton were married at the home of the bridegroom’s parents on June 3 (Daily Record June 3, 1977).
Miss Cathy Sue Honeycutt and William Andrew Lamm were married in a 7:00 ceremony at Second Baptist Church. The bride was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Warren D. Honeycutt and Mr. and Mrs. Russell Lamm were parents of the groom (Daily Record June 13, 1977).
Weddings and engagements continued to make the June news as it was printed that Catherine Christie Poole of Coats and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter E. Poole, was engaged to Richard Scott Wade, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. James C. Blanchard (Daily Record June 14, 1977).
Onnie Lamm, 82, of Coats, had died on Wednesday. His funeral services were held at the Oak Grove Baptist Church with burial in the church cemetery. He was survived by his widow, Mrs. Mattie Denton Lamm; four sons-J.D., Dick, Russell and Hobart; three daughters-Mrs. Ann Beasley, Mrs. Audrey Stewart, and Mrs. Doris Guy. Ed Lamm was a brother in Nashville, NC (Daily Record June 20, 1977).
It is a delight to chat with Dr. Linda Robinson. We talked about her mom, Dr. Ann Moore, whom you have been reading about in the column for several months. She was a very progressive lady and was truly an advocate for women. The Moore and Robinson families have made many contributions to Coats. I well remember when Drs. Donald and Anne Moore came to our first Coats Centennial planning meeting. She with no hesitation stepped forward to do research and give us ideas on publishing a centennial book.
I also remember when Mack Hudson, Max Hayes Beasley and H.L. were putting the final touches on the Cotton Museum the day before its centennial dedication and desperately needed more hands-None other than Fred Robinson came on the square and immediately jumped in to help Norfleet and Barbara Gardner and the other tired workers. Not only did he use his hands that day to help add status to Coats but Fred has also turned the hillside behind the old teacherage into an oasis of beauty. First he sold some of the most beautiful hostas and day lilies to be found anywhere. Today he has a variety of berries which one can pick when they are in season.
However, Fred will be most remembered for the years of dedication that he tirelessly gave to the Boy Scouts in Troop 779. With the help of Fred and other scout leaders in Coats, boy after boy accomplished the Eagle rank in the organization. Dr. Linda donated three archival photos containing some of the early scouts in Coats. These will help Kevin Pope who is spearheading an upcoming exhibit of Scouting in Troop 779 in Coats. If former Coats scouts have any memorabilia that can be displayed in the huge glass center exhibit in the museum, contact Kevin Pope or drop by the museum on a Thursday or Sunday afternoon.
The museum volunteers are excited to honor and recognize the scout leaders and the young men that they supported in their goal to achieve higher ranks in scouting. Your sharing will make it an interesting display.
The volunteers always enjoy visitors and one of our favorites who has make such a difference in our museum life is Mike Tocci who comes twice a year from Sparks, NV. We also get some very interesting telephone calls from far and wide. This past week’s most exciting call came from Paul Green’s grandson who lives in Durham, one block from the NC School of Science and Math where Blair Smith, one of our museum volunteers attends. He hopes to make a visit to our museum this summer. Wonder if he ever goes to see the production of the Lost Colony which was written by his granddad Paul Green.
Just as May was the month for the 2019 high school and college graduates to walk and receive their diplomas, so was the case in May of 1977. The 1977 Coats High graduates had held their commencement night. Mike West had served as class president and Glenn Avery presided over the student government. Tyrone Williams was valedictorian while James Johnson merited the salutatorian.
Edward Turlington was a member of the HCBOE and made remarks while Albert Gregory, chairman of the Coats advisory board, presented the diplomas. Bonnie Whittington sang several songs and little Lenee Sorrell and Fred Strickland were class mascots.
The seniors in the Class of 1977 had begun school in 1965 and that was many moons ago for this group of seniors but there were memories that they could recall with love, respect and pride in the senior year as they turned the pages of their annual.
There was the memory of selecting Kathy Bradley as the teacher to receive the honor of having the yearbook dedicated to her. There were fond memories of Principal Joe Hawley. Debbie Turlington and Anthony Baker had served as editor and business manager of the Echoing Memories. The student council recorded that Donald Ennis, Shelia Pope and Gary McKoy were elected officers. John Langdon, Henry Turlington, Bonnie Whittington, Ty William and Liza Fuquay were the leadership team of the Beta Honor Society.
Senior marshals for 1976 had been Ty Williams, James. T. Johnson, John Langdon, Lisa Fuquay, Keith Faulkner, Michael Pope, Emma Jo Knox, Henry Turlington and Cathy Barefoot. Joy Norris, Jenny Williams, and Cynthia Langdon were officers in Mrs. Marie Salmon’s Photography Club. Anthony Baker, Karen Pope, Deborah Stewart and Cynthia Langdon were FBLA officers.
Martie Edwards, Cathy Honeycutt, Teresa Tart, Darlene West, Judy Daniels, Bonnie Whittington, and Vivian Faircloth were the officers of FHA of which Mrs. Frances Thomas was advisor. Henry Turlington, Max Matthews, Jr., Brent Beasley, Tommy McLamb, John Langdon, Scott Fleming, and Donald Ennis were FFA leaders. Dan Honeycutt was the advisor.
Karen Pope and Donald Ennis led the PEP Club. Danny Stanley, Rita Young, Cynthia Langdon and Donald Ennis were officers of Monogram Club under Billy Ray Turner. Mike West and Debbie Turlington were Mr. and Mrs. Echoing Memories while Karen Pope was Miss Coats High. Her attendants were Cathy Barefoot, Debra Dunston, Sherry Norris, Karen Shannon, Shelia Pope, Jennifer Johnson, Cindy Barnes, Sharon Rowland and Sharon Walden. Gloria Spears was selected Miss Congeniality.
In the fall of 1976, the seniors had selected the superlatives for the class. They voted on class members that they perceived to have characteristics that matched the title. Terri Poole and Ty Williams were voted Most Talented and Karen Pope and Danny Stanley were the Most Athletic. Pam Ennis and Wade Daniel were the Most Courteous and Rita Young and Kimry Gardner were picked the Most Likely to Succeed. Joy Denton and Alan Pope were selected Most Dependable and Gloria Spears and Bobby Godwin were the Friendliest. Martie Edwards and Anthony Baker were Neatest while Jenny Williams and Mike West were the Cutest. Debbie Turlington and Ty Williams won the Most Intellectual. Cynthia Langdon and Kimry Gardner were the Wittiest. Cathy Barefoot and Mike West were Beau and Belle. Cynthia Langdon and Glenn Avery were Most School Spirited and Karen Pope and Randy Caudle were Best Sports. Karen Pope and Glenn Avery were Best All Around. Jatanna Stephenson and Terry Capri were Most Original. Joyce Johnson had been picked Midget Homecoming Queen and Melinda Stanley had won Pee Wee Homecoming Queen.
The following students were listed as being in the Coats High Class of 1977: JoAnne Ammons, Bobby Glenn Avery, Anthony Baker, Cathy Barefoot, Marisha Barnes, Pansy Blackman, Michael Capps, Timothy Capps, Terry Capri, Randy Caudle, Donald Wayne Charles, Michael Joseph Cochran, Pattie Sue Colville, Wade Daniel, Shelton A. Davis, Joy Denton, Kimberly Dixon, Debra Dunston, Martie B. Edwards, Terry Ennis, Pamela Ennis, Roderick Bruce Ennis, Kimry Gardner, Robert Alan Godwin, James Thomas Johnson, Paul Lee Johnson, Teresa J. Johnson, Pamela Lynn Kennedy, Cynthia Langdon, Devaul Dess Langdon, Sharon Lee Langdon, Ermma Dean McCutchen, Joyce Jean McKoy, Ronnie E. Nordan, Kathy Parker, Suzanne Parker, Catherine Christie Poole, Terri L. Poole, Alan Pope, Karen Pope, Jerry Roberts, Mary Ann Scurlock, Kathie Elaine Smith, Gloria Spears, Danny Stanley, Debbie Stanley, Jatana Stephenson, Belinda Tart, Connie Mack Tart, Debbie Turlington, Michael West, Betty Jean Williams, Tyrone Williams, Jennifer Williams, Rita Young and Ricky Messer (Echoing Memories 1977).
Dr. Anne Moore was seeking to establish a Harnett County Council on the Status of Women. There were 57 county councils in NC in 1977. Elsewhere in the Coats area, Miss Madeline Ursula Reber of Switzerland was one of the special delegates to the 4-H Youth Exchange program. The 24 year-old home economics student stayed with Mr. and Mrs. Mack Reid Hudson.
Do you recall that a talkathon was to be held to raise money for the Coats Rescue Squad? Del Forest, captain of the squad, reported that $5,500 was raised during the event. Leroy Williams was assistant captain. Seventy-five pints of blood were collected in the Coats blood drive. Edna Collier Langdon was presented a “one gallon pin” (Daily Record May 25, 1977).
Major and Mrs. Charles Odum of Coats were presented the Family Life Award by the Coats Woman’s Club. Mrs. Garland Johnson, Chairman of the Home Life Committee for the club, presented the award. Grady Matthews, Coats resident, represented Harnett County at Nationwide Insurance’s 57 year history in Columbus, Ohio (Daily Record May 30, 1977).
Coats policeman John Daniel Ferrell placed third on the honors test at NC Justice Academy at Salemburg (Daily Record June 1, 1977). Does anyone know where Dan is today?
I do know that Miss Mary Ida Grimes, 81, of Benson but formerly of Coats, had died on Wednesday. Her two sisters were Mrs. Myrtle Godwin and Mrs. P.B. Wood, Jr. Delma, Clyde and E. Carlos Grimes were her brothers (Daily Record June 2, 1977).
Mr. and Mrs. Marc Anthony Powell pledged their vows at the Coats United Methodist Church. The bride was the former Jean Marie Johnson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Craig K. Johnson. Mr. and Mrs. H. Graymon Powell were parents of Marc.
Other news in that same edition of the June 6, 1977 Daily Record was that Herbert Lee Cutts had died on Friday. The seventy-six year-old Coats man was buried at Lakeside Memorial Gardens after his services were held at the Pleasant Memory Baptist Church. Surviving Mr. Cutts were his wife, Mrs. Iva Bayles Cutts, two sons-Billy and Herbert Lee Cutts, Jr. and one bother H.H. Cutts of Coats.
Another obituary in the same paper shared that James Frank Avery, 90, had died on Sunday. Services were held at Prospect Freewiil Baptist Church. Burial was in the church cemetery. Mrs. Bruce Gomedella, Mahlon, Alton and Earl Avery were his children. Lela Avery Johnson was a sister.
Mack Reid Hudson was appointed by the HCBOC to serve with Graham Henry of Dunn who served as Chairman of the Harnett County Jury Commission (Daily Record June 8, 1977).
Miss Susan Rebecca Tripp and Don Gary Denton were married at the home of the bridegroom’s parents on June 3 (Daily Record June 3, 1977).
Miss Cathy Sue Honeycutt and William Andrew Lamm were married in a 7:00 ceremony at Second Baptist Church. The bride was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Warren D. Honeycutt and Mr. and Mrs. Russell Lamm were parents of the groom (Daily Record June 13, 1977).
Weddings and engagements continued to make the June news as it was printed that Catherine Christie Poole of Coats and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter E. Poole, was engaged to Richard Scott Wade, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. James C. Blanchard (Daily Record June 14, 1977).
Onnie Lamm, 82, of Coats, had died on Wednesday. His funeral services were held at the Oak Grove Baptist Church with burial in the church cemetery. He was survived by his widow, Mrs. Mattie Denton Lamm; four sons-J.D., Dick, Russell and Hobart; three daughters-Mrs. Ann Beasley, Mrs. Audrey Stewart, and Mrs. Doris Guy. Ed Lamm was a brother in Nashville, NC (Daily Record June 20, 1977).
It is a delight to chat with Dr. Linda Robinson. We talked about her mom, Dr. Ann Moore, whom you have been reading about in the column for several months. She was a very progressive lady and was truly an advocate for women. The Moore and Robinson families have made many contributions to Coats. I well remember when Drs. Donald and Anne Moore came to our first Coats Centennial planning meeting. She with no hesitation stepped forward to do research and give us ideas on publishing a centennial book.
I also remember when Mack Hudson, Max Hayes Beasley and H.L. were putting the final touches on the Cotton Museum the day before its centennial dedication and desperately needed more hands-None other than Fred Robinson came on the square and immediately jumped in to help Norfleet and Barbara Gardner and the other tired workers. Not only did he use his hands that day to help add status to Coats but Fred has also turned the hillside behind the old teacherage into an oasis of beauty. First he sold some of the most beautiful hostas and day lilies to be found anywhere. Today he has a variety of berries which one can pick when they are in season.
However, Fred will be most remembered for the years of dedication that he tirelessly gave to the Boy Scouts in Troop 779. With the help of Fred and other scout leaders in Coats, boy after boy accomplished the Eagle rank in the organization. Dr. Linda donated three archival photos containing some of the early scouts in Coats. These will help Kevin Pope who is spearheading an upcoming exhibit of Scouting in Troop 779 in Coats. If former Coats scouts have any memorabilia that can be displayed in the huge glass center exhibit in the museum, contact Kevin Pope or drop by the museum on a Thursday or Sunday afternoon.
The museum volunteers are excited to honor and recognize the scout leaders and the young men that they supported in their goal to achieve higher ranks in scouting. Your sharing will make it an interesting display.
The volunteers always enjoy visitors and one of our favorites who has make such a difference in our museum life is Mike Tocci who comes twice a year from Sparks, NV. We also get some very interesting telephone calls from far and wide. This past week’s most exciting call came from Paul Green’s grandson who lives in Durham, one block from the NC School of Science and Math where Blair Smith, one of our museum volunteers attends. He hopes to make a visit to our museum this summer. Wonder if he ever goes to see the production of the Lost Colony which was written by his granddad Paul Green.