About I Can See an Angel 1961

The following Letter of Intention was mailed to and received by Celebrating Patsy Cline, Inc., of Winchester, VA

All information in this document is accurate with sincere intentions regarding future events.

A joint venture of individuals outside the Frederick County, VA area was recently successful in obtaining certain lots from Hilda Hensley’s estate during the 19 December 2002 auction at Profiles in History. These lots are personal effects of Miss Hilda’s daughter, Virginia Patterson Hensley, a/k/a Patsy Cline. At this time, we express our intention to loan varying combinations of said lots over time to the Patsy Cline museum (PCM) at 608 South Kent in Winchester, VA for display to the general public.

The lots include the golden dress with black lace overlay worn by Miss Patsy during her concert with other Grand Ole Opry stars at Carnegie Hall on 29 November 1961; the ivory silk dress with green lace overlay in a flower motif worn by Miss Patsy during club, dance hall and other performances, as well as personal appearances; lastly, the orange and black maternity cotton dress with dice motif worn on-stage by Miss Patsy while pregnant and on tour.

It is stressed that these three lots will be initially loaned to PCM. We expect ownership will eventually pass to the appropriate entity governing the PCM, but no time estimate is now available for the transfer of ownership rights. It is also expected that provisions will be made in individuals’ last will and testament documents to specify the PCM as the final, legal beneficiary of these three lots.

A tentative timeline now anticipates not having any of the lots in Winchester, VA before 01 August 2004. We expect to relocate the Carnegie Hall dress first to Winchester. Other than that, there are numerous details to plan. Our intentions are to first display these lots to the general public at a limited number of museums in the USA, some of the expected locations not close to Winchester, VA or Nashville, TN.

We intend to plan, finance and construct a hopefully tasteful and elegant display to complement the Carnegie Hall dress. This dress is relatively fragile and will likely be housed at the PCM for the majority of its future. PCM officials will have critical input on any display plans for any and all of the lots. It is not our intention to cause any conflict with the administrative or management functions of the PCM.

If not already, we will have a representative contact you by telephone. Hopefully, this will provide assurance of our sincerity. It is expected that a representative will arrange a meeting in Winchester to observe the PCM and discuss possible locations for the display along with any limitations or other concerns that PCM representatives may have.

If you have a working relationship with Miss Patsy’s daughter and son, Julie and Randy Dick, it can be conveyed to them that they are welcome to have some time with these dresses if desired. We have not contacted them and they do not know us.

Regarding identities, we request total anonymity throughout our relationship with PCM. The name(s) of the respective individual(s) will be revealed to PCM once ownership of any dress passes to PCM. But anonymity to the general public is still requested, if any of the benefactors (us) are still living.

It is best to contact us through this e-mail address. We will attempt to quickly answer any question you have, except for personal identities and the geographic location of any benefactor.

Why this unusual course of action? Over the decades we all acquired a great love for Miss Patsy’s music. Last autumn, we were very surprised to read that so many of her personal effects were going to auction last December. Initially, we assumed the proceeds would finance the operation of the PCM with selected items donated to PCM. But we were deeply saddened when it became apparent that many of Miss Patsy’s greatest career memories and Miss Hilda’s intentions were being trivialized and disrespected by John and Sis. Miss Patsy’s life was far too short, yet very eventful. She encountered many disappointments, heartaches and cruel twists in only 30 years. But this recent heartbreak was too unbearable to ignore. It appeared certain many of her precious keepsakes would be scattered in the wind for indeterminate periods. Our primary regret was the inability to purchase more lots on 19 December 2002.

Who Can I Count On?
(Original by Sammy Masters)

Who can I count on if I can't count on you?
I never counted on you makin' me blue
They say you’re sellin’ my dresses, to strangers too!
Who can I count on if I can't count on you?