Local resident writes about her life with her husband and the good ol’ days in Malibu.
By Betty Bailey/Special to The Malibu Times
At age 82, Malibu legend Honey Coatsworth has a schedule that puts most folks to shame. For the past 30 years, she has operated the town’s thrift shop, The Artifac Tree. Five days a week, the store is operational and, during times of disaster, she opens the doors to all who need supplies at no charge. In addition to her work schedule, and playing an active role in the Malibu Vineyard Church, she is also an author who has published two books so far this year. And mind you, it’s only March.
In “Life in the Fast Lane with George,” Coatsworth introduces us to her late husband, George Coatsworth. Honey and George were married Oct. 4, 1941, two months before the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. George was in the Navy and, shortly after they were married, he was called to war. “When the day came for George to be shipped out, he kissed me goodbye not realizing it would be two years before we would see each other again,” Coatsworth writes.
Like many military wives, Coatsworth went to work on an assembly line in an aircraft factory. “Until I wrote this book, my kids didn’t know I was Rosie the Riveter,” she says with a smile.
After the war, the couple moved to Malibu. Her book chronicles their adventures together from the late 1940s until George died of cancer in 1987. She writes of the good old days when she and George owned a Chevron Station on Malibu Road. “One day when both trucks (towing) were out, I was left alone to mind the station. A lady named Tony came galloping in on her horse. Jumping off, she grabbed me and told me to hold her horse while she ran to the bathroom. At the same time, director John Houseman drove in and was waiting for someone to put gas in the tank of his big Cadillac. I was afraid to let go of the horse and stood there laughing until finally Tony returned.”
Coatsworth’s stories tell of a young Malibu when “there were so few people that we could stand at the station and tell what time it was by who was driving home in their cars,” she says. Her book includes historical photos of the opening of Malibu Road, the first quick route to the Valley. A photo of Honey, George and their first child, George III, shows the family beside their 1941 Chevy, which was decorated for the parade from the coast to the ribbon cutting ceremony. Later in the book, you’ll read about the time Coatsworth’s beloved husband nearly lost his life on that very road.
Coatsworth paints a colorful picture of the husband she adored including the time he wrote to the U.S. Space Program and asked to be a civilian space traveler. Her book includes the polite response from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense explaining, ” … at present, there are no requirements for a space passenger.”
George didn’t get to leave footprints on the moon, but he did make his mark in the small town of Malibu. George, who worked as an art supervisor for Panavision, was president of the Lion’s Club, the Art Association, and the Navy League, a Scout Master, Naval Reserve officer and member of the PTA. He also wrote weekly articles that appeared in The Malibu Times in the 1950s and offered his words of wisdom, some of which still ring true today. “Well, open season on pedestrians has started-the city folks are heading to the beaches on these hot days,” he wrote, adding, “… be careful and don’t take chances, a little wait at the curb can save a long wait in the hospital.”
“This book is George all over,” says Ken Kearsley, Malibu Mayor Pro Tem and former neighbor of the Coatsworths in the 1960s. “George was a character and he was an asset to Malibu.”
Kearsley’s wife, Barbara, adds, “George was a very special man. There was always a party any time anyone in our apartment building had a birthday. We learned so much from George and Honey. They taught us so much in life.”
“Life in the Fast Lane” seems an appropriate title for the story of their life on Pacific Coast Highway. Coatsworth writes, “Screeching brakes, squealing tires and the deadly sound of metal brought my husband, George, and I out of a sound sleep. Fumbling in the dark for a light to dial 911 was not a new experience for us.”
Honey still lives in the PCH apartment she shared with George and her three children.
One recurring theme in this book is the faith that carried Honey and George through the rough spots. Coatsworth says her faith was also the inspiration for her other new book, “Blessings For the Heart.” “Blessings” is a compilation of the sayings of anonymous and unknown authors and Bible quotes that Coatsworth has collected for many years. “This quote, ‘I shall pass this way but once, any good therefore that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now’ just spoke to my heart,” Coatsworth says. “It speaks to me of being kind and of what we’re supposed to do for other people.” The proceeds for this self-published book will go to various homeless ministries.
Ten years ago, Coatsworth wrote her first book, “It Has Yet to Be Revealed,” after the women in her church group urged her to share her stories. “People would always say, ‘If you ever write a book, I’d love to read it,'” Coatsworth says, adding, “I would just smile. I didn’t finish the 10th grade and I didn’t even like to write letters.” She decided to give writing a try and her book won a 1994 Silver Angel Award for Excellence in Media. Other recipients that year include Pat Boone, Dale Evans and Diane Sawyer.
What’s next for Honey Coatsworth? She says there will be no retirement rocking chair for her. She’s already started on book No. 4. “Why would I retire when I am already doing what I love to do?” she asks.
Coatsworth’s books are available at the Artifac Tree and at the Vineyard’s Source Bookstore.