Date: Thu, 29 May 2014 15:09:02 -0400
From: “John R Dykers”
Subject: Francis Bavier
Margaret Jourdan was a friend to Francis Bavier when Francis came to town and they drove out to my house one evening and caught me working in the yard.. They were house shopping for Ms Bavier and she wanted to buy mine. I had to tell her it was not for sale before we ever got around to price! In retrospect I am glad she did not tempt this poor boy with a big number! I had made a low bid on the JB Earle house which the estate refused. Dr. Frank White lived there before he and Jerri moved near the Country Club.This is a big house; three stories and a huge finished basement. There Ms. Bavier took refuge and became recluse. The cats dominated by number and odor.
Larry Russell, a fine artist, and his wife live there now and recently hosted a most gala affair for Habitat for Humanity. It is so heartening to have charm and joy in the house again.
Ms Bavier’s story is one of the saddest I know. She moved here already lonely and nowhere else to go. If she had been happy playing Aunt Bea the town would have revolved around her as Billy Ingram so wistfully describes. Respect for her privacy could have become established tradition, allowing her to move into ‘role’ when she wished.