Event Honors Cline’s Legacy By: Kelly Cupp The Winchester Star With roses in hand, the tight circle of friends spent a moment in silence honoring the person that had brought them together. Melvin Dick, brother-in-law of Winchester native and country music star Patsy Cline, told the group gathered around Cline’s grave in Shenandoah Memorial Park that it was a quiet time to reflect amidst all the fun of the past weekend. About 40 people attended the memorial service for Cline on Sunday. Cline died in a March 5, 1963, airplane crash near Camden, Tenn. Laura Panning (above) of Napoleon, Ohio, holds a replica of Patsy Cline’s famous cowgirl outfit during this weekend’s annual gathering of the legendary singer’s fans in Winchester. Cline’s daughter, Julie Fudge (below) of Nashville, Tenn., places flowers at her mother’s grave during a service Sunday in Shenandoah Memorial Park. (Photos by Rick Foster) The memorial helped wrap up a weekend full of Always Patsy fan club activities. “The important thing is that we are here together; the friendships, because of her, we have now,” Dick said. While the Always Patsy fan club has held a memorial for Cline for several years, this was the first time Cline’s daughter, Julie Fudge, was able to attend. “It’s very moving to be here. I was touched at how touched they were,” Fudge said after the brief service. Fudge, of Nashville, Tenn., said she had a really nice time in Winchester. “I’ve met a lot of new people. I’ve put faces to names,” she said. “I look forward to coming again.” Fudge said she’s glad the Winchester area celebrates her mother’s legacy. “It’s good that (the recognition) did come and they’re embracing her.” Traveling to Winchester used to be a yearly journey for Fudge, but since her grandmother and Cline’s mother, Hilda Hensley, died in 1998, she hasn’t been to Winchester as frequently. For Mary Shipp and Paul Gregory of Greensboro, N.C., a trip to Winchester to learn more about the fan club weekend was a lucky event. “We’ve always liked Patsy,” Shipp said. She said they drove up this weekend to find out more about the fan weekend and, luckily, stumbled into it. “It’s good for (Cline) to be remembered after all these years.” Gregory said Cline’s sound was ahead of her time. “There’s no debating about the great voice,” he said. Lois Radford makes the annual trip from her home in Tennessee to see old friends and honor Cline. “Patsy has left a legacy in her music. Her legacy brought us here.” Radford, a member of the Always Patsy fan club, said she enjoys being around others who appreciate Cline’s music as much as she does. Without Cline, Radford said, the tight group of friends would not have found each other. While Cline drew Radford to her other fan club friends, it was Cline’s voice that drew Radford to her. When Radford was 8 years old, she heard Cline singing “Sweet Dreams” on a recording. From that time on, she was able to recognize Cline’s voice whenever she heard it. “She put so much feeling in it. It was almost like you were at a live performance,” Radford said. “Nothing comes close to her voice. I can’t define it. I can’t put it into words.” No matter the song, Radford said, Cline is still able to reach out to people. “Her music will grasp you and hold onto you.”

Originally Published In The Winchester Star On September 2, 2003







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