Patsy Cline, born Virginia Patterson Hensley on Sept. 8, 1932, was a country icon who inspired generations of women artists— from contemporaries like Loretta Lynn to seemingly every Nashville star since.
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Cline died tragically on March 5, 1963 in a plane crash alongside fellow country singers Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins and their pilot Randy Hughes. She was only 30 years old at the time, but her memory continues to be preserved through her fans and fellow artists who love her timeless music. "Walkin' After Midnight," "Sweet Dreams," "I Fall To Pieces" and the Willie Nelson-penned "Crazy" are incredible examples of her immense talent and are just a few of Patsy Cline songs that contributed to her posthumous induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
After Cline's death, her husband second husband, Charlie Dick, was left behind with their two young children, Julie and Randy. Cline had previously been married to Gerald Cline, from whom she'd gotten her stage name. Her widower Charlie set an example for his children to make sure the world never forgot the name "Patsy Cline."
"Sixty years later, people still love Patsy Cline, and he had a big part in that...it could have all died with the crash but he made sure that her music stayed out there," singer Mandy Barnett told the Tennessean following the death of Charlie in 2015 at the age of 81.
Here's what her two children have been up to over half a century after their mother's death in 1963.
Julie Fudge
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Patsy Cline's daughter Julie remains incredibly involved with preserving the memory of her late mother, especially in the film depictions of the legend's life. For example, Fudge served as a producer on the 2019 Lifetime biopic "Patsy and Loretta," which centered around the friendship between her mother and Lynn.
Lynn's daughter Patsy Lynn Russell was also involved. Notably, Patsy was named after Cline. Part of filming even took place at their former Nashville home where Cline's family lived during her last year alive. Fudge contributed many childhood memories of what it was like growing up with her mother —although Fudge was only 4 at the time of Cline's death— so that she could accurately be depicted on screen as a real person in addition to a country music myth.
"There are always emotional moments when we deal with Mom and her legacy and her music and telling her story," Julie told Country Living. "But at the same time we really like sharing, it keeps her alive, it keeps her vivid."
Fudge was also integral to the 2017 opening of the Patsy Cline Museum, located on the second floor of the Johnny Cash Museum in Nashville. She donated many artifacts that her father saved over the years, many of which came from her childhood home in Winchester, Va. Julie told the Tennessean that her mom would probably be overwhelmed seeing the place.
"She'd probably ... think this was just crazy, no pun intended," Fudge said.
Fudge enjoys the attention her fans still pay to Cline, especially now that they can visit the museum in Nashville.
"Everyone has been thrilled with, first of all, the fact that there is a place to go now, and secondly with how well it's been done," Fudge said (as quoted by uDiscoverMusic). "I love to read the letters and the little things I find because they put together a puzzle, all the way back, and I just love that part of it. "
The museum defied other relatives' expectations.
"My dad actually felt like we had nothing, like 'What could we fill a museum with?'" Fudge said (as quoted by uDiscoverMusic). "In fact, one of my brothers said the same thing. It's really been quite intriguing to dig around and find the little things that you don't think much about, but when you put them in the context of the story, they're rather remarkable."
In all, Fudge represents both of her parent's legacies through Patsy Cline Enterprises. She's the organization's chief administrative officer (CAO).
"As the daughter of Patsy Cline and Charlie Dick, Julie has a history with both her mom's music and legacy, and her father's diligence in protecting and preserving that legacy," reads Fudge's LinkedIn profile, "She represents the estates of both of her parents, and continues her father's mission of protecting and preserving her mother's legacy. She and her family have created Patsy Cline Enterprises to handle all things Patsy Cline."
Randy Dick
Allen Randolf Dick, who goes by Randy, is the youngest child of Cline and Charlie. Unlike his sister, Randy prefers to stay behind the scenes, so not as much is known about him. He must've gotten some of his mother's musical genes, though. He spent time as a drummer for a rock band in his hometown of Nashville— but even that detail is scarce, as no source appears to list the band name.
Randy did attend the 2012 opening of the Patsy Cline exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum along with his sister and their dad. While there, he said that he was blown away that people are still so invested in the memory of his mother and thought that the museum did a great job showcasing her life.
