Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: Genealogy Report: Ancestors of DARLENE Darnell Featherstone

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Ancestors of DARLENE Darnell Featherstone

Generation No. 2

      2. ERNEST Harold Featherstone, born November 02, 1933 in Monroe, Union County, North Carolina (Source: (1) Darlene Featherstone Lankford., (2) Birth Certificate.). He was the son of 4. CHARLES Ervin Featherstone and 5. WILLIE MYRTLE Sipe. He married 3. JOYCE Lee Cloninger April 05, 1957 in York, York County, South Carolina.

      3. JOYCE Lee Cloninger, born November 24, 1939 in Belmont, Gaston County, North Carolina (Source: Darlene Featherstone Lankford.). She was the daughter of 6. OSCAR Samuel Leroy Cloninger and 7. LUCILLE Evelyn Wentz.

Notes for ERNEST Harold Featherstone:
Ernest Harold Featherstone was born November 2nd, 1933, on a cotton farm in Monroe, Union County, North Carolina, the 4th son of Charles Ervin Featherstone and Willie Myrtle Sipe (Ernest was 15 when his Dad died). He was named after his Uncle, Harold Sipe, a CIA agent for the federal government, who bought the farm for the family. When his uncle died in the line of duty, he bequeathed his gold pocket watch to his nephew, since Harold never married or had any children of his own. (To this day, the details involving the death of Harold Sipe's death remain a mystery....the actual date of death is not known, his body was shipped home from Washington, and only the year of death was provided to his family, as evidenced on his tombstone in the Greenwood Cemetary in Belmont, North Carolina).

Ernest graduated from Belmont High School and later joined the U.S. Navy stationed aboard a carrier. During his four year stint in the Navy he was a cook (KP Duty) and a radio man, the latter of which initiated his interest in obtaining an education in electronic engineering. He returned to Belmont, NC after completing his Navy tour, where he attended Belmont Abbey College. He worked several odd jobs in order to put himself through school.

At age 22, he met and married Joyce Lee Cloninger on April 5th, 1957. After Ernest's marriage and birth of his first child (me, Darlene), he moved his family to Raleigh, NC to complete his engineering degree at NC State University. Upon completing his degree the family returned to Mt. Holly and lived in the upstairs apartment of Mrs. Stroup's home on Hickory Grove Rd. Ernie Jr., his second child and first son was born while they were living with Mrs. Stroup and her sister.

Ernest and Joyce built their first home in Holly Acres, Mt. Holly, where they lived until about 1963. The family then moved to California where he worked for Collins Radio. They spent less than a year in California and then transferred to Marion, Iowa, where his second son and third child Michael Lee was born. Pamala Freshour, Ernest's Neice joined with the family in Iowa, where she attended and graduated her senior year from high school.

Ernest took an engineering position with General Electric Co. [G.E.] and moved his family from Marion, Iowa to 410 Kale Street, Sattelite Beach, Florida, in 1965. He worked in Cocoa Beach at the Kennedy Space Center for G.E. from 1965-1969, during the Apollo 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, & 14 Space Missions. He met and worked with several of our nation's first astronauts; Neil Armstrong [the first man to walk on the moon], John Glenn, Gordon Cooper, Alan Shepherd, Gus Grissom, and Wally Schirra. He worked with other G.E. engineers in developing all the software for the Saturn 5 boosters and the Lunar Excursion Module [LEM], as well as the Apollo Space Craft Module. The LEM was the craft that actually landed on the moon!

In 1969, G.E. transferred Ernest back to Charlotte, NC, where he subsequently took a position with RCA. He worked with RCA for approximately 3-4 years and then took a position with J.P. Stevens Company as their Director of Engineering. Stevens transferred their base of operations to Greenville, SC. After commuting for nearly two years, Ernest sold his Stanley 15+ acre home on Black Snake Rd. and relocated to Greenville in 1985.

In 1988, when J.P. Stevens was sold due to a hostile take-over, Ernest and Bill Sibley took key members from their engineering department to partner a new corporation, CC+I [Computer Control Plus Integration], a thriving endeavor that specializes in automating and integrating process control systems for industries world-wide.

He's come a very long way from that poor boy who grew up on that cotton farm in Monroe, North Carolina.........we are proud of you Dad!

With Love, your daughter, Darlene Featherstone Lankford

More About ERNEST Harold Featherstone:
Fact 1: Born on a cotton farm in Monroe, Union Co., N.C.
Fact 2: Joined the navy and served 4 years.
Fact 3: He was a radio man in the navy.
Fact 4: Obtained a BS degree in Electronics Engineering from NC State.
Fact 5: April 05, 1957, Eloped to York Co., SC Jr./Sr. Prom Night with Joyce Cloninger.
Fact 6: Worked as an Engineer for G.E. in Florida for the Appollo Mission Space Program.

Notes for JOYCE Lee Cloninger:
Joyce Cloninger is currently a homemaker, who also provides care for her grandchildren Adam & Stephen, to support her daughter, who is required to travel in her occupation as a managed care consultant.

More About JOYCE Lee Cloninger:
Fact 1: April 05, 1957, Eloped to York, S.C. on Jr./Sr. Prom Night.
Fact 2: Joyce and Ernest kept their marriage a secret for 3 months.

Marriage Notes for ERNEST Featherstone and JOYCE Cloninger:
Ernest and Joyce were introduced by Ralph and Nancy McCoig. At the time they met, both were engaged to other people. Joyce was engaged to Cotten Haney, and Ernest was engaged to Mary O'Reilly, an Irish woman he met while in the navy.

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Ernest, my father, has always told the story about the first time he saw my mother in church, she was wearing a red dress. She made quite an impression on him, because he elbowed my Uncle Ralph and told him, "You see that girl in the red dress?" "Yes" Ralph replied, and Ernest said, "Well I'm going to marry her!" They eloped on her Junior/Senior Prom night to York, S.C. were they were married secretly. They kept their secret for approximately a month and a half. [Darlene Featherstone Lankford]
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More About ERNEST Featherstone and JOYCE Cloninger:
Marriage: April 05, 1957, York, York County, South Carolina
Marriage Fact: April 05, 1957, Eloped to York SC.

Children of ERNEST Featherstone and JOYCE Cloninger are:

	1	i.		DARLENE Darnell Featherstone, born April 28, 1958 in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina; married Kenneth MARK Lankford August 19, 1978 in Foursquare Gospel Church, Belmont, North Carolina.
		ii.		Ernest Harold Featherstone, Jr. (Source: (1) Darlene Featherstone Lankford., (2) FEATHERSTONEHAUGH-1199.ged.), born June 27, 1960 in Charlotte, Mecklenburg, North Carolina.

More About Ernest Harold Featherstone, Jr.:
Fact 1: Single/Never Married.

iii.

Michael Lee Featherstone (Source: (1) Darlene Featherstone Lankford., (2) FEATHERSTONEHAUGH-1199.ged.), born July 02, 1964 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; married Lisa Beacham July 05, 1987 in York, South Carolina; born January 1965 in Gastonia, Gaston Co., North Carolina.

Notes for Michael Lee Featherstone:
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[From Gastonia Gazette Article]

"DEACON PITCHER"

Mike Featherstone, son of Ernest and Joyce Featherstone of Route 2, Stanley, a junior at Wake Forest University, is one of the leading Deacon pitchers, striking out 35 batters this season and compiling a fine baseball record despite a young Deacon infield, this season. He was All-Conference and placed on the All Gazette team and was Most Valuable Player, graduating from East Gaston High in 1982.

Featherstone is majoring in speech communications at Wake Forest. Deacon Head Baseball Coach is Marvin Crater. Featherstone's high school coach was Darrell Van Dyke.

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[From Gastonia Gazette Article]

"FEATHERSTONE HAVING BIG CAREER AT WAKE FOREST"

Stanley's Mike Featherstone, a former East Gaston High School baseball star, is having a big career at Wake Forest University. As a junior this year, the southpaw pitcher was one of the Deacons' leading pitchers. He appeared in 15 games, struck out 35 batters, and compiled the third best ERA on the Demon Deacon staff despite a young Wake Forest infield. Featherstone's coach is Marvin Crater. His high school coach was Darrell VanDyke, the current Warrior baseball coach. The Deacons finished with a 23-23-2 record this season. Featherstone was an all-conference performer while at East Gaston and was named the team's most valuable player his senior season. He is the son of Ernest and Joyce Featherstone of Stanley.

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More About Michael Lee Featherstone:
Fact 1: 1987, BA Communications from Wake Forest University.
Fact 2: Bet. 1986 - 1987, Pitched for Pulaski Braves Professional Minor League Team.
Fact 3: All-Conference Team Player
Fact 4: 1982, East Gaston High School MVP (Most Valuable Player).
Fact 5: All Gazette Team Player

More About Michael Featherstone and Lisa Beacham:
Marriage: July 05, 1987, York, South Carolina

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