November 8, 2019 Coats Museum News
The season was fall in the Grove area and Farmers Day had been on the minds of many in the Coats area where folks had recently enjoyed a very successful day. Janice and Roger Lucas had headed up the Wagon Train. In the municipal news, the Coats Board had developed a Land Use Plan. They had also set up seven goals for the betterment of the town (Daily Record Oct. 16, 1980).
How exciting it must have been for the Coats Jr. Order men to be informed that Kathy Williams, Coats Miss Junior Order, was chosen to appear in the 1981 edition of International Youth in Achievement (Daily Record Oct. 7, 1981). Some folks in the Coats had to be experiencing an opposite feeling when they heard that Ricky Newman Johnson, 23, of Coats, had died on Thursday. His services were held at Rose Graham Funeral Home. Surviving him were his wife, Mrs. Rosemary Lucas Johnson of Erwin; a daughter, Miss Misty Johnson; a stepson, Michael Matthews, and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy N. Johnson, and a brother, Tony Johnson. His maternal and paternal grandmothers were Mrs. Cora Johnson and Mrs. Eunice T. Johnson (Daily Record Oct. 17, 1980).
Coats had a reason to be proud of a native son who had directed the national vocational group-VICA. Larry Wilson Johnson was son of Mr. and Mrs. Marvin L. Johnson, of Coats. Larry had attended Coats High School, Campbell College and UNC Chapel Hill. He shared the work ethic that he had experienced as a young boy in the fish and meat market that his grandfather Louis Johnson and father had operated on Main Street in Coats. He had memories of walking home after work “smelling like fish and attracting all the cats” (Daily Record Oct. 17, 1980).
“Smelling like a fish” days were behind Larry when he served in the US Marines, graduated from the university, earned a PHD, became an educator, and an Episcopal priest in Virginia. He has traveled the US visiting schools and organizations sharing the story of the Liberty Man, the story of h is ancestor Abel Johnson and the Revolutionary War. Sometimes when Larry, a 1956 graduate of Coats High, returns to Coats, he drops by the museum and has given the museum a copy of the Liberty Man. Coats should be proud of this man.
The Coats Woman’s Club members heard Mrs. Leonora Tuck address the sewer and water system issue in the Coats-Buies Creek area. Jane Temple, Laura Langdon, Hope Turlington and Mrs. Thelma Johnson were leaders in the club. The women planned a bake sale at three locations. The club planned to repaint the Welcome to Coats entrance sign that the club had erected as an earlier project. Mrs. Lottie Lamm and Mrs. Lib Nordan were hostesses (Daily Record Oct. 20, 1980).
Those club women are to be admired for their hard work in the 1980’s. When you are traveling, do you take note of the signs announcing that you are approaching a particular town? For those of us in Woman’s Club at a later date from the one mentioned in the Daily Record, the club women in the late 90’s and their husbands worked hard physically and financially to erect four landscaped, white brick lighted signs to introduce the travelers to our town and naturally they are disappointed that only one of the four signs has survived.
Some happy news was that Amy Adams was chosen to be a member of the Apprentice Company of Dance Theater in Fayetteville. Amy was the daughter of Becky and Dennis Adams of the Oakdale area and was an eighth grader at Coats. She enjoyed tap, ballet and pointe classes (Daily Record Oct. 20, 1980).
While Amy was practicing her dance steps, the Coats football team were using their feet to win the homecoming game by a 12-8 margin. Edward McDuffie passed the 1000 mark for rushing. Trace Denning had an outstanding game. Kathy Turlington was crowned Homecoming with Tonya Barnes as Maid of Honor (Daily Record Oct. 20, 1980).
Walter Ivey of Plant City, Florida, a native of Coats, had died in the hospital there. Surviving him were three children- Raymond and Charles Ivey and Mrs. Doris Boatwright (Daily Record Oct. 21. 1980).
The Pee Wee football team had a new homecoming queen-Angela Champion, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Al Champion. The Maid of Honor was Harriett Roberts, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Roberts of Coats (Daily Record Oct. 24, 1980).
Coats faculty members, Brenda Turlington and Dan Honeycutt were named “Teachers of the Month” (Daily Record Oct. 29, 1980).
Lillie Renee Ennis, daughter of William Earl Ennis, had married Danny Ray Dickens (Daily Record Nov. 6, 1980).
J. Paul Creech, 72, taxi operator of Route 1, Benson, had died on Wednesday. Funeral services were held in the Rose Funeral Home Chapel with burial in Roselawn . He was survived by his wife, Mrs. Eula Creech, and five sons-Lynwood, Johnny, Donald, Ronald and Stacy Creech of Coats. Carolyn Hudson was his daughter (Daily Record Nov 6, 1980).
Fall was obviously the time to crown Homecoming Queens. Cherie Byrd, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stacy Byrd, was Homecoming queen at Campbell University (Daily Record Nov. 6, 1980).
How many of you had Mrs. Mary Stephenson as a teacher? She taught in both Coats and Angier High School. Mary was named Harnett County Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Stephenson had received her B.S. from Flora McDonald College. She was certified to teach in grammar grades, high school chemistry, general science and home economics (Daily Record Nov. 7, 1980).Did you say something?
A Coats youth was injured when his bicycle slipped out from under him at the corner of Railroad and Park Street. Young Antonio Purcell broke his leg and lucky for him there were no motor vehicles involved according to Sgt. Don Colville of the Coats Police Department (Daily Record Nov. 11, 1980).
Do any of you remember some of the performances that were presented in your school auditorium? There were puppet shows, trampoline acts and even plays. In 1980, the Coats High School hosted the Raleigh Ballet. Planned presentations were “Peter Pan” and “Winnie the Pooh.” It was partly sponsored by the Harnett County Arts Council (Daily Record Nov. 11, 1980).
As I write the next bit of news it saddens me because I recognize that possibly only one of all those listed is living in 2019. This group of Coats citizens had returned from a trip to points in Florida. The group of individuals began making a trip annually in the fall. This was the 10th trip for the group. Those on the trip were the trip coordinator Mr. M.O. Phillips and his wife Katherine Phillips and Mrs. Mary Jo Mann (treasurer) and husband Jesse Ray Mann. The others on the trip were Mr. and Mrs. Albert Gregory, Mr. and Mrs. Carlie Stevens, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Langdon, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Stancil, Mr. and Mrs. Daywood Langdon, Mrs. Rebeth Mitchell, Mrs. Myra Bryant, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Penny, Mr. and Mrs. Wade Turlington, Mr. and Mrs. Graham Turlington, Mrs. Thelma Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Tony Stewart and daughter Tonya, Nancy Jeffries, Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Currin, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Clayton, Mr. and Mrs. Johnnie Barnes, Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher Flowers, Mr. and Mrs. Kirk Ennis, and Mr. and Mrs. Woodrow Langdon ( Daily Record Nov. 12, 1980). Coats folks, who is the living member of that group? She is Tonya who is now Dr. Tonya Stewart, a veterinarian.
November 13, 1980 marked the anniversary of a trip that Mr. and Mrs. Daywood Langdon took to Havana, Cuba via a plane that had been hijacked from its course to Texas. The Langdons were headed to meet their new grandson, Clay Stephenson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Stephenson. The sixteen-hour ordeal brought back fears, humor and faith as they recalled that unexpected detour to Cuba from their Dallas Destination (Daily Record Nov. 13, 1980). How many remember when hijacking of planes was a fear for air travelers?
Here is a name you will recognize. Joseph A. Gregory, head of the Agricultural Development Section of CPL in Raleigh, was one of the four people in the US to receive the honorary American Farmer Degree. That was not the first time that Gregory had been recognized nationally by FFA. He had won the same degree as a student. Joe was a Coats High graduate and he and his wife Judy Gregory had two children-Michelle and Alex Gregory (Daily Record Nov. 12, 1980).
The Coats town board met with Mayor Ronald Coats. J.D. Norris, John Wiggins, Cecil Fuquay, Wendell Dorman and J.C. Allen were present. They approved repaving of portions of Erwin Street from NC 55 to Church Street and Caro Street from Main Street to Dooley Street. Payment for a newly constructed building at the park included a concession area, office, storage, two restrooms and a press box. The board voted to pay the $12,000 cost of the facility. The town board also agreed to pay the $200 for installation of Christmas lights downtown since there was little interest from the merchants to do so. Mrs. Virginia Pollard was approved as tax collector (daily record Nov. 14, 1980).
Those eligible to vote for the ASCS committeeman selected Bobby G. Byrd, Charles R. Ennis, Bernice Johnson, Jesse Ray Mann, Victor McLeod, and Graham Turlington for Grove 1. The voters in Grove 11 elected Gary Denning, Junius Denning, Daywood Langdon, Ronnie Parrish, Rupert Parrish, and Cecil Stephenson (Daily Record Nov. 17, 1980). Are Grove numbers correct here?
Becky Adams volunteered at the museum last Sunday and enjoyed a short visit from Susie Turlington Mewborn. Susie’s husband, J. M. Mewborn, was one of our favorite visitors because we always learned something interesting from his visits that we could share with others. A special thank you goes to Susie for her donation to the museum. Linda Tart Thompson was in town from Texas and dropped by the museum. Linda was able to see the exhibit hall for the first time and was shown the different items that her brother, Joe Tart, has loaned for display. On her next back to NC, she plans to spend more time at the museum.
Our barn quilts are ready for the tour of museums in Harnett County. Thanks to Sandra Kay Howard, the barn quilts are show stoppers. The red, white and blue barn quilt on the side of the Cotton Museum is ready to honor our veterans on Veterans Day. If you see, Sandy, please thank her for these beautiful pieces of art.
The season was fall in the Grove area and Farmers Day had been on the minds of many in the Coats area where folks had recently enjoyed a very successful day. Janice and Roger Lucas had headed up the Wagon Train. In the municipal news, the Coats Board had developed a Land Use Plan. They had also set up seven goals for the betterment of the town (Daily Record Oct. 16, 1980).
How exciting it must have been for the Coats Jr. Order men to be informed that Kathy Williams, Coats Miss Junior Order, was chosen to appear in the 1981 edition of International Youth in Achievement (Daily Record Oct. 7, 1981). Some folks in the Coats had to be experiencing an opposite feeling when they heard that Ricky Newman Johnson, 23, of Coats, had died on Thursday. His services were held at Rose Graham Funeral Home. Surviving him were his wife, Mrs. Rosemary Lucas Johnson of Erwin; a daughter, Miss Misty Johnson; a stepson, Michael Matthews, and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy N. Johnson, and a brother, Tony Johnson. His maternal and paternal grandmothers were Mrs. Cora Johnson and Mrs. Eunice T. Johnson (Daily Record Oct. 17, 1980).
Coats had a reason to be proud of a native son who had directed the national vocational group-VICA. Larry Wilson Johnson was son of Mr. and Mrs. Marvin L. Johnson, of Coats. Larry had attended Coats High School, Campbell College and UNC Chapel Hill. He shared the work ethic that he had experienced as a young boy in the fish and meat market that his grandfather Louis Johnson and father had operated on Main Street in Coats. He had memories of walking home after work “smelling like fish and attracting all the cats” (Daily Record Oct. 17, 1980).
“Smelling like a fish” days were behind Larry when he served in the US Marines, graduated from the university, earned a PHD, became an educator, and an Episcopal priest in Virginia. He has traveled the US visiting schools and organizations sharing the story of the Liberty Man, the story of h is ancestor Abel Johnson and the Revolutionary War. Sometimes when Larry, a 1956 graduate of Coats High, returns to Coats, he drops by the museum and has given the museum a copy of the Liberty Man. Coats should be proud of this man.
The Coats Woman’s Club members heard Mrs. Leonora Tuck address the sewer and water system issue in the Coats-Buies Creek area. Jane Temple, Laura Langdon, Hope Turlington and Mrs. Thelma Johnson were leaders in the club. The women planned a bake sale at three locations. The club planned to repaint the Welcome to Coats entrance sign that the club had erected as an earlier project. Mrs. Lottie Lamm and Mrs. Lib Nordan were hostesses (Daily Record Oct. 20, 1980).
Those club women are to be admired for their hard work in the 1980’s. When you are traveling, do you take note of the signs announcing that you are approaching a particular town? For those of us in Woman’s Club at a later date from the one mentioned in the Daily Record, the club women in the late 90’s and their husbands worked hard physically and financially to erect four landscaped, white brick lighted signs to introduce the travelers to our town and naturally they are disappointed that only one of the four signs has survived.
Some happy news was that Amy Adams was chosen to be a member of the Apprentice Company of Dance Theater in Fayetteville. Amy was the daughter of Becky and Dennis Adams of the Oakdale area and was an eighth grader at Coats. She enjoyed tap, ballet and pointe classes (Daily Record Oct. 20, 1980).
While Amy was practicing her dance steps, the Coats football team were using their feet to win the homecoming game by a 12-8 margin. Edward McDuffie passed the 1000 mark for rushing. Trace Denning had an outstanding game. Kathy Turlington was crowned Homecoming with Tonya Barnes as Maid of Honor (Daily Record Oct. 20, 1980).
Walter Ivey of Plant City, Florida, a native of Coats, had died in the hospital there. Surviving him were three children- Raymond and Charles Ivey and Mrs. Doris Boatwright (Daily Record Oct. 21. 1980).
The Pee Wee football team had a new homecoming queen-Angela Champion, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Al Champion. The Maid of Honor was Harriett Roberts, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Roberts of Coats (Daily Record Oct. 24, 1980).
Coats faculty members, Brenda Turlington and Dan Honeycutt were named “Teachers of the Month” (Daily Record Oct. 29, 1980).
Lillie Renee Ennis, daughter of William Earl Ennis, had married Danny Ray Dickens (Daily Record Nov. 6, 1980).
J. Paul Creech, 72, taxi operator of Route 1, Benson, had died on Wednesday. Funeral services were held in the Rose Funeral Home Chapel with burial in Roselawn . He was survived by his wife, Mrs. Eula Creech, and five sons-Lynwood, Johnny, Donald, Ronald and Stacy Creech of Coats. Carolyn Hudson was his daughter (Daily Record Nov 6, 1980).
Fall was obviously the time to crown Homecoming Queens. Cherie Byrd, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stacy Byrd, was Homecoming queen at Campbell University (Daily Record Nov. 6, 1980).
How many of you had Mrs. Mary Stephenson as a teacher? She taught in both Coats and Angier High School. Mary was named Harnett County Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Stephenson had received her B.S. from Flora McDonald College. She was certified to teach in grammar grades, high school chemistry, general science and home economics (Daily Record Nov. 7, 1980).Did you say something?
A Coats youth was injured when his bicycle slipped out from under him at the corner of Railroad and Park Street. Young Antonio Purcell broke his leg and lucky for him there were no motor vehicles involved according to Sgt. Don Colville of the Coats Police Department (Daily Record Nov. 11, 1980).
Do any of you remember some of the performances that were presented in your school auditorium? There were puppet shows, trampoline acts and even plays. In 1980, the Coats High School hosted the Raleigh Ballet. Planned presentations were “Peter Pan” and “Winnie the Pooh.” It was partly sponsored by the Harnett County Arts Council (Daily Record Nov. 11, 1980).
As I write the next bit of news it saddens me because I recognize that possibly only one of all those listed is living in 2019. This group of Coats citizens had returned from a trip to points in Florida. The group of individuals began making a trip annually in the fall. This was the 10th trip for the group. Those on the trip were the trip coordinator Mr. M.O. Phillips and his wife Katherine Phillips and Mrs. Mary Jo Mann (treasurer) and husband Jesse Ray Mann. The others on the trip were Mr. and Mrs. Albert Gregory, Mr. and Mrs. Carlie Stevens, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Langdon, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Stancil, Mr. and Mrs. Daywood Langdon, Mrs. Rebeth Mitchell, Mrs. Myra Bryant, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Penny, Mr. and Mrs. Wade Turlington, Mr. and Mrs. Graham Turlington, Mrs. Thelma Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Tony Stewart and daughter Tonya, Nancy Jeffries, Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Currin, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Clayton, Mr. and Mrs. Johnnie Barnes, Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher Flowers, Mr. and Mrs. Kirk Ennis, and Mr. and Mrs. Woodrow Langdon ( Daily Record Nov. 12, 1980). Coats folks, who is the living member of that group? She is Tonya who is now Dr. Tonya Stewart, a veterinarian.
November 13, 1980 marked the anniversary of a trip that Mr. and Mrs. Daywood Langdon took to Havana, Cuba via a plane that had been hijacked from its course to Texas. The Langdons were headed to meet their new grandson, Clay Stephenson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Stephenson. The sixteen-hour ordeal brought back fears, humor and faith as they recalled that unexpected detour to Cuba from their Dallas Destination (Daily Record Nov. 13, 1980). How many remember when hijacking of planes was a fear for air travelers?
Here is a name you will recognize. Joseph A. Gregory, head of the Agricultural Development Section of CPL in Raleigh, was one of the four people in the US to receive the honorary American Farmer Degree. That was not the first time that Gregory had been recognized nationally by FFA. He had won the same degree as a student. Joe was a Coats High graduate and he and his wife Judy Gregory had two children-Michelle and Alex Gregory (Daily Record Nov. 12, 1980).
The Coats town board met with Mayor Ronald Coats. J.D. Norris, John Wiggins, Cecil Fuquay, Wendell Dorman and J.C. Allen were present. They approved repaving of portions of Erwin Street from NC 55 to Church Street and Caro Street from Main Street to Dooley Street. Payment for a newly constructed building at the park included a concession area, office, storage, two restrooms and a press box. The board voted to pay the $12,000 cost of the facility. The town board also agreed to pay the $200 for installation of Christmas lights downtown since there was little interest from the merchants to do so. Mrs. Virginia Pollard was approved as tax collector (daily record Nov. 14, 1980).
Those eligible to vote for the ASCS committeeman selected Bobby G. Byrd, Charles R. Ennis, Bernice Johnson, Jesse Ray Mann, Victor McLeod, and Graham Turlington for Grove 1. The voters in Grove 11 elected Gary Denning, Junius Denning, Daywood Langdon, Ronnie Parrish, Rupert Parrish, and Cecil Stephenson (Daily Record Nov. 17, 1980). Are Grove numbers correct here?
Becky Adams volunteered at the museum last Sunday and enjoyed a short visit from Susie Turlington Mewborn. Susie’s husband, J. M. Mewborn, was one of our favorite visitors because we always learned something interesting from his visits that we could share with others. A special thank you goes to Susie for her donation to the museum. Linda Tart Thompson was in town from Texas and dropped by the museum. Linda was able to see the exhibit hall for the first time and was shown the different items that her brother, Joe Tart, has loaned for display. On her next back to NC, she plans to spend more time at the museum.
Our barn quilts are ready for the tour of museums in Harnett County. Thanks to Sandra Kay Howard, the barn quilts are show stoppers. The red, white and blue barn quilt on the side of the Cotton Museum is ready to honor our veterans on Veterans Day. If you see, Sandy, please thank her for these beautiful pieces of art.