Druggist Could Make Gaunt’s A Museum

Druggist Could Make Gaunt’s A Museum

By: Val Van Meter
The Winchester Star

Like the Roman god Janus, Harold Madagan was looking both to the past and to the future Saturday.

Between filling prescriptions and advising customers on the side effects of nasal sprays, he was greeting longtime fans of country music legend Patsy Cline and thinking about a future museum in her honor.

Gaunt’s was one of the stops for the faithful Saturday as Winchester remembered its internationally known daughter.

Harold “Doc” Madagan stands inside his Gaunt’s Drug Store, which contains a lot of Patsy Cline memorabilia and could serve as a museum honoring the late country singer.

Cline worked there at the soda fountain in the 1950s, while she dreamed of being a star on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

The Patsy Cline Fan Club’s traditional Labor Day weekend festivities this year included a special event — the first ringing of the chimes in the Bell Tower at Shenandoah Memorial Park, where Cline is buried.

By the time Madagan joined Gaunt’s staff, Cline had begun to realize her dream. He does recall her returning to talk to the Gaunts, especially Elsie Mae Gaunt.

Madagan said Mrs. Gaunt had told Cline she’d never make it to Nashville.

“I think [Cline] liked to remind her she made it to the Grand Ole Opry,” Madagan said. Mrs. Gaunt became a staunch supporter, he added.

Back then, Madagan was 18 and into rock and roll.

“But I learned to appreciate what she stood for,” he said, and recalled country music legend Willie Nelson, who said Cline got more out of song lyrics than any other singer.

Nelson wrote one of Cline’s signature songs, “Crazy,” and insisted no one could have done a better job with those lyrics.

“That’s quite a compliment,” Madagan said.

Madagan has made Gaunt’s a shrine to the music legend.

He has pictures and posters of her, including one from Cline’s mother.

Though the soda fountain is gone, he has preserved one of the original booths where Patsy served root beer floats.

“It’s my little museum. I’ve tried to keep her memory alive,” Madagan said.

On Saturday, he enjoyed greeting others who feel the same way about Cline. He’s met a number of them throughout the years.

“The people who still come back, they’re the ones who make this weekend,” Madagan said.

Near the booth is a picture of Madagan with Cline’s daughter, Julie Fudge.

“The old supportive group” had gathered Saturday, Madagan said, including Jimmy Williams, of Kentucky, who bills himself as Cline’s No. 1 fan, and Mildred Keith of Kansas City, Kan.

Keith brought Madagan a copy of a story her hometown paper, the Kansas City Star, which included an article earlier this year about the “last” photo taken of Cline.

Keith snapped it at Memorial Hall in Kansas City on March 3, 1963. Two days later, Cline died in a plane crash.

Recalling Cline’s visits to the drug store, Madagan said he always felt she was in a hurry.

“It was as if she knew she didn’t have much time,” he said.

Looking ahead, Madagan wonders about creating a permanent museum to Cline.

There has been talk of using’s Cline’s childhood home as a museum, but Madagan’s thoughts are running in a different direction.

At 65, Madagan is thinking about retirement and fishing with his six grandsons. Perhaps Gaunt’s could become the museum Patsy’s fans deserve.

“I think it would be ideal,” Madagan said.

Returned to its original look, with a working old-time soda fountain and gift shop, fans could get a feel for Cline’s life before fame found her.

“She sang 105 songs,” Madagan said. “Could you create 105 different desserts?” he suggested, each named for one of her songs.

“At least here at the old corner drug store, she’s not forgotten.”

Originally Published In The Winchester Star on September 7, 2004