October 15, 2021 Coats Museum News
Who remembers Mary Cole? Mary taught math and science at Coats School for many years and is remembered for being very stern and with high expectations from her students. Mary’s husband, Jim Cole, is often given credit for creating an interest in soccer at Campbell University and for the spread of the sport into the surrounding communities.
In May of 1988, Jimmy Cornell and his Pee Wee Soccer team were honored with a plaque and a cookout at the Coats Recreation Park according to Belle Williams in her “Notes” column in the Daily Record. Belle also shared that Dr. and Mrs. Norman Wiggins had attended the funeral of Mrs. Minnie Ennis. Mrs. Clyde Ennis and Mrs. Wiggins were sisters and both were raised on the now Abattoir Road outside of Coats on the Bent Harmon Farm.
Elsewhere, Mr. and Mrs. Owen Bennett had a wonderful party as they celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary with friends and family from near and far away attending the event at the home of their daughter, Lera Fowler and her husband Charlie.
The “Notes” also extended congratulations to Matt Capps for being the president of the Triton High School Student Government Association. Matt entered Triton as a freshman and a member of the first group of students to enter the consolidated high school as a freshman. The folks in Coats should be proud of the students that they sent to the massive high school because so many of them went there and represented the Coats area by being the top in academic and extracurricular areas.
Just a little additional information on Matt Capps and his family-Matt is the son of Ginny Norris (Capps) Holden, the grandson of J.D. Norris, brother of successful realtor Paul Capps and father to Sam Capps who likewise was an outstanding 2020 graduate of Triton and who is currently a student at NC State. I think we can all agree that family has high expectations of each new generation.
Another young man who would later graduate from Triton was Turner Matthews who was celebrating his 4th birthday in 1988 when he received a pony. Turner is the son of Denise and Craig Matthews, grandson of Nelson and Coma Lee Currin, husband of Stephanie Roberts and the beloved pastor at the Erwin Chapel.
How many of you continue to miss Comma Lee and Nelson? I do know another birthday was celebrated? The party was enjoyed by two brothers-Mitchell and Nicholas Pope. The boys are the sons of Sonya and Michael Pope. They are the grandsons of Gail and Hilda Pope and Ann and James Lee. That’s a bunch of talented and community mined grandparents; wonder if the grandchildren are following in their footsteps?
I do know that Sonya baked the birthday cake and it was not the typical round one. I also know that the May 13, 1988 issue of the Daily Record wrote that the time had come for the Coats Woman’s Club to recognize some of its members. Club President Linda Massengill presented the Club Woman of the Year to Ann Jones. Ann had been active in the Arts and Crafts Division, in the coordination of the Miss Coats Pageant, and in leadership in the CACC. Ann was a graduate of Buies Creek High School and had post-graduate work at Florida International University, UNC Chapel Hill and Campbell University. She and her husband Casey showed quarter horses.
Tracy Lynn Ivey was pictured as the beautiful bride of Jeffrey Ray Dunn at the Beulah Baptist Church in Dunn (Daily Record May 18, 1988).
Services were held at Erwin Chapel for Mrs. Thelma J. Johnson, 67, of Coats. She was survived by Mrs. Patricia Tart and siblings-Mrs. Lillie Langley, Mrs. Elsie Suggs, Mrs. Roxie Johnson, Vernon, Junior, Bobby and Scott Johnson (Daily Record May 19, 1988).
Mrs. Jonnie Barnes was pictured in the May 19, 1988 issue of the Daily record with her son David and daughter-in-law Betty Barnes as they accepted the Family of the Year Award. The Johnnie Barnes family was selected because of the distinctive moral character, their participation and leadership in church activities, and civic affairs and community endeavors. Johnnie was the son of the late Elzie and Lillian Lassiter Barnes. He was a Coats High graduate of 1934 and had attended Kings Business College. Hazel, a Johnston County native, had moved to Angier at age nine. She graduated from Angier High School and Raleigh School of Commerce. She was the daughter of the late Jasper and Emma Johnson Morgan. The Barnes had three children-William Rufus Barnes, Janice Daniel, and David Barnes. Bill was a NC State grad; Janice an ECU grad and David was manager of Field Services with Bell Northern Research in the RTP. I might add that Janice went ahead to earn for PHD and taught on the university level in Kentucky.
Are you getting the picture that Coats parents produced some very successful children whether they attended the small Coats High School or the large consolidated Triton?
Terry Hodges was promoted to an Assistant Banking Manager of the Coats branch of the First Citizens Bank. Who knows where the two First Citizens Banks were located in Coats? Which location was Terry working?
This I do know. Hal Godwin of Coats had retired from Fort Bragg in April after serving 37 years and 6 months. Five hundred people attended his reception. He planned to move to Nashville, TN and work with his son, Maurice Godwin’s music company-Doghouse Management (Daily Record May 20, 1988).
Do you agree that was an impressive number to attend a reception? Both of those guys are former Coats High graduates. Didn’t Maurice earn his PHD and wasn’t Hal known as “Bobo” by those of us who played basketball in high school when he was a referee?
Belle noted that Todd Jones and his wife Kay were parents of a new son, Garrett Jones. That arrival had to make Lib Guy and Dallas Jones very happy, great-grandparents. Don’t you bet that was one handsome grandbaby? His great-grandmother Lib was a former Coats beauty queen; his Aunt Sybil was a former Miss Coats High as was his Grandmother Ann.
Talking of arrivals, Mrs. Edna Barnes Hoag had visited Mrs. Mary Coats while in town from Seattle. Washington. While some were celebrating happy news, others were saddened that their loved ones were suffering. Mrs. Sarah (B.L.) Godwin had fallen at her daughter, Mazelle Strickland’s house. She had broken bones in her foot.
A fashion show was held at the Senior Center. The hilarious event was the result of Mrs. Mae Johnson Coats modeling 20 hats from way back. Mrs. Ruby Johnson modeled a dress from long ago while Gordon Ware had outdone himself as he modeled jam pants, a house shirt and hat (Daily Record May 28, 1988).
The volunteers at the museum NEED your help in locating PICTURES and any information about the occupation of some of our earliest Masons in the Coats area. B.P. Wallace, B.L. Langdon, Edgar Lawrence Turlington, G.S. Fields, J.N. Gregory, L.L. Turlington, N.T. Overby, Paul Emerson, Walter Moore Keene, and Dennis D. Overby are Masons that Don Bennett is identifying as associated with the Coats group. Call the information about a picture to the museum # 897-2525.
Did you know that the Masons give away 2 million dollars each day to worthy causes-and yes the Masons are very hard workers as witnessed by the successful fundraiser they had in Angier a couple of weeks ago.
A special thank you goes to Hannah Tart for dropping by to loan some pictures for display in our military exhibit. Also thanks goes to Beth Garriss Page for sharing some items belonging to her dad, Thurman Garriss. New items are always welcomed as we share their history with our visitors.
.
Who remembers Mary Cole? Mary taught math and science at Coats School for many years and is remembered for being very stern and with high expectations from her students. Mary’s husband, Jim Cole, is often given credit for creating an interest in soccer at Campbell University and for the spread of the sport into the surrounding communities.
In May of 1988, Jimmy Cornell and his Pee Wee Soccer team were honored with a plaque and a cookout at the Coats Recreation Park according to Belle Williams in her “Notes” column in the Daily Record. Belle also shared that Dr. and Mrs. Norman Wiggins had attended the funeral of Mrs. Minnie Ennis. Mrs. Clyde Ennis and Mrs. Wiggins were sisters and both were raised on the now Abattoir Road outside of Coats on the Bent Harmon Farm.
Elsewhere, Mr. and Mrs. Owen Bennett had a wonderful party as they celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary with friends and family from near and far away attending the event at the home of their daughter, Lera Fowler and her husband Charlie.
The “Notes” also extended congratulations to Matt Capps for being the president of the Triton High School Student Government Association. Matt entered Triton as a freshman and a member of the first group of students to enter the consolidated high school as a freshman. The folks in Coats should be proud of the students that they sent to the massive high school because so many of them went there and represented the Coats area by being the top in academic and extracurricular areas.
Just a little additional information on Matt Capps and his family-Matt is the son of Ginny Norris (Capps) Holden, the grandson of J.D. Norris, brother of successful realtor Paul Capps and father to Sam Capps who likewise was an outstanding 2020 graduate of Triton and who is currently a student at NC State. I think we can all agree that family has high expectations of each new generation.
Another young man who would later graduate from Triton was Turner Matthews who was celebrating his 4th birthday in 1988 when he received a pony. Turner is the son of Denise and Craig Matthews, grandson of Nelson and Coma Lee Currin, husband of Stephanie Roberts and the beloved pastor at the Erwin Chapel.
How many of you continue to miss Comma Lee and Nelson? I do know another birthday was celebrated? The party was enjoyed by two brothers-Mitchell and Nicholas Pope. The boys are the sons of Sonya and Michael Pope. They are the grandsons of Gail and Hilda Pope and Ann and James Lee. That’s a bunch of talented and community mined grandparents; wonder if the grandchildren are following in their footsteps?
I do know that Sonya baked the birthday cake and it was not the typical round one. I also know that the May 13, 1988 issue of the Daily Record wrote that the time had come for the Coats Woman’s Club to recognize some of its members. Club President Linda Massengill presented the Club Woman of the Year to Ann Jones. Ann had been active in the Arts and Crafts Division, in the coordination of the Miss Coats Pageant, and in leadership in the CACC. Ann was a graduate of Buies Creek High School and had post-graduate work at Florida International University, UNC Chapel Hill and Campbell University. She and her husband Casey showed quarter horses.
Tracy Lynn Ivey was pictured as the beautiful bride of Jeffrey Ray Dunn at the Beulah Baptist Church in Dunn (Daily Record May 18, 1988).
Services were held at Erwin Chapel for Mrs. Thelma J. Johnson, 67, of Coats. She was survived by Mrs. Patricia Tart and siblings-Mrs. Lillie Langley, Mrs. Elsie Suggs, Mrs. Roxie Johnson, Vernon, Junior, Bobby and Scott Johnson (Daily Record May 19, 1988).
Mrs. Jonnie Barnes was pictured in the May 19, 1988 issue of the Daily record with her son David and daughter-in-law Betty Barnes as they accepted the Family of the Year Award. The Johnnie Barnes family was selected because of the distinctive moral character, their participation and leadership in church activities, and civic affairs and community endeavors. Johnnie was the son of the late Elzie and Lillian Lassiter Barnes. He was a Coats High graduate of 1934 and had attended Kings Business College. Hazel, a Johnston County native, had moved to Angier at age nine. She graduated from Angier High School and Raleigh School of Commerce. She was the daughter of the late Jasper and Emma Johnson Morgan. The Barnes had three children-William Rufus Barnes, Janice Daniel, and David Barnes. Bill was a NC State grad; Janice an ECU grad and David was manager of Field Services with Bell Northern Research in the RTP. I might add that Janice went ahead to earn for PHD and taught on the university level in Kentucky.
Are you getting the picture that Coats parents produced some very successful children whether they attended the small Coats High School or the large consolidated Triton?
Terry Hodges was promoted to an Assistant Banking Manager of the Coats branch of the First Citizens Bank. Who knows where the two First Citizens Banks were located in Coats? Which location was Terry working?
This I do know. Hal Godwin of Coats had retired from Fort Bragg in April after serving 37 years and 6 months. Five hundred people attended his reception. He planned to move to Nashville, TN and work with his son, Maurice Godwin’s music company-Doghouse Management (Daily Record May 20, 1988).
Do you agree that was an impressive number to attend a reception? Both of those guys are former Coats High graduates. Didn’t Maurice earn his PHD and wasn’t Hal known as “Bobo” by those of us who played basketball in high school when he was a referee?
Belle noted that Todd Jones and his wife Kay were parents of a new son, Garrett Jones. That arrival had to make Lib Guy and Dallas Jones very happy, great-grandparents. Don’t you bet that was one handsome grandbaby? His great-grandmother Lib was a former Coats beauty queen; his Aunt Sybil was a former Miss Coats High as was his Grandmother Ann.
Talking of arrivals, Mrs. Edna Barnes Hoag had visited Mrs. Mary Coats while in town from Seattle. Washington. While some were celebrating happy news, others were saddened that their loved ones were suffering. Mrs. Sarah (B.L.) Godwin had fallen at her daughter, Mazelle Strickland’s house. She had broken bones in her foot.
A fashion show was held at the Senior Center. The hilarious event was the result of Mrs. Mae Johnson Coats modeling 20 hats from way back. Mrs. Ruby Johnson modeled a dress from long ago while Gordon Ware had outdone himself as he modeled jam pants, a house shirt and hat (Daily Record May 28, 1988).
The volunteers at the museum NEED your help in locating PICTURES and any information about the occupation of some of our earliest Masons in the Coats area. B.P. Wallace, B.L. Langdon, Edgar Lawrence Turlington, G.S. Fields, J.N. Gregory, L.L. Turlington, N.T. Overby, Paul Emerson, Walter Moore Keene, and Dennis D. Overby are Masons that Don Bennett is identifying as associated with the Coats group. Call the information about a picture to the museum # 897-2525.
Did you know that the Masons give away 2 million dollars each day to worthy causes-and yes the Masons are very hard workers as witnessed by the successful fundraiser they had in Angier a couple of weeks ago.
A special thank you goes to Hannah Tart for dropping by to loan some pictures for display in our military exhibit. Also thanks goes to Beth Garriss Page for sharing some items belonging to her dad, Thurman Garriss. New items are always welcomed as we share their history with our visitors.
.