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Thursday, June 3, 2021
Area High School Graduation Scenes Inside This Issue
We love our readers! Volume 87 • Issue 22
• Belmont • Cramerton • Lowell • McAdenville • Mount Holly • Stanley
Thursday, June 3, 2021
Mt. Holly ladies Margaret Johnson and Edith Mack are best friends forever… and ever and ever By Alan Hodge alan@cfmedia.info
True friendship between two people is a beautiful thing and when the bond has held firm for decade after decade it is super special. That’s the case of Margaret Johnson, 95, and Edith Mack, 98, of Mt. Holly who have known and cherished each other most of their lives. Folks, that’s a combined total of 193 years. First a bit about each one of the lovely ladies. Johnson was born April 27, 1926 and grew up on the Morrison farm in Lowesville near Stanley. When she was 11 years old, the family moved to Mt. Holly and lived in the area near present day River Park. “It was a big neighborhood then and integrated,”
Edith Mack (left) and Margaret Johnson have been lifelong friends. They both celebrated big birthdays recently and are looking forward to their centennial celebrations.
said Johnson. Johnson attended Rollins School in Mt. Holly then went on to Reid High in Belmont. Later, she took sewing classes and got a diploma as a seamstress. She and her husband Jacob were married in 1946 and had one child. She put her sewing skills to good use. “I made my husband a pair of pants,” she said. Time marched along and Johnson sampled other employment. “I did domestic work, worked in the cafeteria at Mt. Holly High, the worked for Perfection Spinning,” she said. “I retired from there in 1988.” Johnson recalled early days in Mt. Holly. “It wasn’t bad,” she said. “Daddy worked for the railroad and we lived in a three
room house. We were happy and didn’t suffer for anything. In the summers we would visit our cousins in Washington, D.C. We enjoyed each other.” Johnson recollected some more. “We would go to corn shuckings and camp meetings at Tuckers Grove,” she said. “We would spend a whole week there. People would come from all over. We always had a big family reunion in August.” Johnson shared her thoughts on long life. “Live the best you can and do right,” she said. “God will reward you.” Edith Mack was born on May 4, 1923. Like Johnson, her early years were spent in a rural environment before moving to Mt. Holly. See FRIENDS, Page 2
Stanley Parks and Rec. gearing up for summer excitement By Alan Hodge alan@cfmedia.info
Exciting things are going on at Stanley Parks and Rec. not the least of which is the much deserved honor bestowed upon the department’s director Tug Deason who recently received the Centralina Regional Council’s Region of Excellence Award. Deason was honored during an online ceremony on May 12, 2021 and received the James D. Prosser Excellence in Leadership Award. Deason was nominated by Town Manager Heath Jenkins for his steadfast leader- Stanley Parks and Rec. director Tug Deason in front of the recPhoto by Alan Hodge ship and being someone who reation center named in his honor. positive, encouraging to others, and a go-to person where trusted source of information. ing this prestigious award “The Town of Stanley Town Manager Heath Jenkins Maia McElvane (right) painted a lot of faces at a past Juneteenth including cute Avery Martin. staff, citizens, and others outSee PARKS, Page 4 See Junteenth 2021 celebration details inside on page 4. side of Stanley call upon as a congratulates Tug on receivPhoto Alan Hodge
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