Clyde Lester and Katherine G. Coffey Dula

Corrected Feb. 3, 2011 - See highlighted below.

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Clyde Lester Dula was a son of Arthur Hill and Mary Jane Coffey Dula. He was born Jun. 23, 1893 in Watauga Co., NC and died Aug. 2, 1973 in Blowing Rock, Watauga Co.

Clyde first married Bertha May Robbins on Sep. 18, 1915 in Caldwell Co. They were parents of five daughters, three of which were still born between Mar. 1916 and Mar., 1918. Two daughters survived: Mary Elise, born Feb. 8, 1923 in Watuaga Co., and Anna Mae, born Sep. 19, 1926 in Iredell Co., NC.

The WW1 draft registration files show that Clyde registered in Watauga Co. on Jun. 5, 1917. He was described as being of medium height and build with brown eyes and hair. He gave his age as 23 years, born Jul. 23, 1893 in Kelsey [Watauga Co.], NC. Clyde was employed as an Engineer with the Boone Fork Lumber Co. at Shulls Mill and resided in that community with his wife [not named on the registration card].

Katherine G. Coffey

They divorced sometime before Mar. 15, 1948* when Clyde married his second cousin, Katherine** Gwendolyn Coffey, a daughter of Austin Blaine and Anna Mahalia (Hailey) Harris Coffey. Katherine was born Aug. 1, 1919 in Watauga Co., and died Aug. 19, 1997 in North Carolina.

Katherine and Clyde were parents of at least four children, again all daughters for Clyde. The first known child was Brenda Gail, born 1942, followed by a still born daughter on Dec. 13, 1943. The third child was Linda Jane, born 1945 and last was Mary Katherine, born 1946.

Bertha May Robbins Coffey was born Mar. 9, 1897 in Watauga Co. She never remarried, and died on Jun. 23, 1982 in Avery Co., NC.

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*There seems to be a problem with the marriage date vs: birth dates of children.  However, the marriage record reports that date:

Groom's Name: C. L. Dula Groom's Birth Date: 1890 Groom's Birthplace: Groom's Age: 58 Bride's Name: Gwendolyn Coffey Bride's Birth Date: 1920 Bride's Birthplace: Bride's Age: 28 Marriage Date: 15 Mar 1948 Marriage Place: Avery County, North Carolina Groom's Father's Name: A. H. Dula Groom's Mother's Name: Mary Jane Dula Bride's Father's Name: Blane Coffey Bride's Mother's Name: Haley Coffey Groom's Race: White Groom's Marital Status: Unknown Groom's Previous Wife's Name: Bride's Race: White Bride's Marital Status: Bride's Previous Husband's Name: Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M73603-9 System Origin: North Carolina-EASy Source Film Number: 1689181 Reference Number: cn940

**Spelled Catherine in her obituary