Judy P Becotte

aka Laura Juliette Pilcher Becotte

7/20/1934 – 1/2/2017

IN THE BEGINNING

A cherished only child, Judy Becotte was born to Laura Del and George Pilcher in Columbus, Georgia on July 20, 1934. The house she was born in was actually Tara in the movie Gone With the Wind. Truly! It was later sold, taken down in pieces, and moved to California where it was rebuilt for the movie. Such are the stories of our brightest star.

Judy’s parents – along with her beloved grandparents, Charles and Laura Parker – moved to Bainbridge where Judy was raised. Though Judy was an only child, her dear friend Dottie (Coker Barber) lived much of the time with her and was like a sister.

Due to Judy’s asthma, the family spent several months each year in Arizona, where the air was dryer and she could breathe easier. Her father and grandfather, Charles (Gran-Gran), built a beautiful hunting and fishing lodge on the Florida panhandle, called Breakaway Lodge. Many famous personalities stayed there, including Ted Williams, Cab Calloway, and Richard Boone. Judy’s family spent most of their free time there until it was sold. The lodge was quite remote, so at 12 years old, her grandmother, Lala, took her to get her driver’s license. Judy looked older – and acted older– so of course she had no problem passing the test. It wasn’t till she was turning 37 – but her license said she was turning 40! – that she had her ID corrected!

Judy played the piano and could belt the blues like no other. She sang on the radio with Howdy Dowdy and the Georgia Swamp Boys. She attended the University of Georgia, but after her first year – where she spent more time at parties than in classes – her daddy told her she needed to come back home and work, and that she could go back to school when she was ready to study. During the Korean War, Judy’s parents rented rooms in their large Victorian home to officers’ wives. There, Judy would sing, perform, and entertain for them in the evenings. Judy worked on the Air Force Base as an assistant to an officer, where she rode around in her little Jeep Wrangler running errands for him. (All the French cadets-in-training would say, “Here comes Zhudee in her Zhip!”)

ENTER PAUL BECOTTE

One day while delivering papers to another officer, as she walked into a building, the waistband of her petticoat snapped and fell to the floor. It caught the eye of a very handsome Yankee named Paul Becotte. The two fell in love, and on February 7, 1953, they eloped to Apalachicola, Florida. When they came home to tell her parents, her father, George, said, “I’ve been buying gifts and going to weddings in this town for 20 years, and my daughter is going to have a wedding!” So they kept their marriage a secret, and on March 7, 1953, they had a wedding ceremony in Bainbridge with friends and family... and gifts!

Judy and Paul moved north to Paul’s hometown Ocean City, New Jersey. They had five children: Laura Camille, Paul III, Betsy Lynn, Georgia Lee, and Mary Jane. In between having babies, Judy helped Paul run his family business on the Ocean City Boardwalk, Litterer’s Famous Orange and Luncheonette. They ended up purchasing the store from Paul’s parents.

THE START OF SOMETHING GREAT

Judy was an accomplished actress, director, and play-write. She was active in the Ocean City Colony Club, and performed with South Jersey Regional Theatre, and the Gateway Theatre where she became an equity actor. Judy went on to become their production manager. She loved everything about the theatre... especially her ‘Witches Council!’

Judy was a gifted seamstress, and if she wanted a costume for a show, she would make it herself. She also designed and made all her daughter’s and one granddaughter’s wedding gowns. She loved to have parties, and was a great cook and hostess.

LIFE GOES ON

In 1984, Judy, Paul, and their daughter and son-in-law, Mary Jane and Walter Grau, built The Bayou restaurant. It was a wildly popular restaurant featuring Judy’s delicious recipes. In 1987, after almost 35 years of marriage, Judy lost Paul to cancer. After a year alone, Judy moved back to her hometown of Bainbridge, where she was welcomed with open arms and lots of love. She was eventually followed south by all of her children, each of whom adored their mama. Judy, Mary Jane, and Walt opened a new restaurant in Bainbridge: Miss Lauradel’s (named for Judy’s mother). To Judy, there was no such thing as a stranger, and no one was ever alone on a holiday... and there was always room for 1, 2, or 20 more.

Judy became active with the Bainbridge Little Theatre and led them to competitions for the first time, where they excelled. After many happy years in Bainbridge, Judy then followed her children to Florida winding up in Largo. Once again, Judy became active with her first love: the theatre. She worked as the production manager with Eight O’Clock Theatre for many years, and directed numerous musicals and plays on the Largo Cultural Center stage.

Judy’s daughter Betsy, a stage manager with EOT was friends with Kim Bergman who worked at the Cultural Center. Betsy and Kim fixed up Judy with Kim’s dad, Dick Bergman. The two fell in love, bought a house together, and lived happily for several years, until Dick passed away unexpectedly.

Judy’s last few years were spent in a wheelchair following several failed hip surgeries. Her last musical theatre role was as the sassy Matron Mama Morton in Eight O’Clock Theatre’s Chicago in 2003.

Despite her medical issues, nothing pleased Judy more than having her 5 children, 13 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildren around her – that itself is a party!

Laura and Skip Katz live in Belleair, and have 4 beautiful girls.

Christie is married to Bryan Carroll and are parents to Finnian.

Marisa moved back to New Jersey and is married to Matt Miller.

Cami and Chris Starke are parents to Mason and Lola.

Amanda is in Belleair and, not surprisingly, helping to heal animals.

Paul (with first wife Cindy) has a daughter Vicky who is an EMT in Georgia, and a son Paul IV (PJ) and daughter-in-law Lisa who are the parents of Madeline and Paul V (Paule).

Paul (with second wife Debbie) has a daughter Savannah who just graduated from University of Alabama.

Paul is currently married to Roxine and living in Tallahassee.

Betsy and husband Mark Byrd live in Safety Harbor and have no children (intentionally).

Georgia and David MacKenzie live in Orlando and have 3 daughters: Betsy, Lily and Laura.

Mary Jane (with first husband Walt) has 3 children: Juliette Netzel (mother of Chloe, Hailey, and Joel); Joseph (JT); and Leslie Petersen who with husband Ross has a brand new baby named Jude.

MJ and her husband Danny Pedecone lived with Judy the last few years to help her and also to ensure there was always a party – just the way Judy liked it!

Judy is now out of pain, moving about the stage in heaven without a care in the world. She’s starring in the show... and hosting the best parties. Everyone who knew Judy loved her, and she will be missed by all.

Judy lived her life like one of the favorite characters she played, Mame, so to quote her from the script, something Judy often said is, “Life’s a banquet, and most poor sons of bitches are starving to death.”

Judy’s banquet was full to the brim, spiced with the love of family and friends, and topped off with the dessert of a life well lived. A toast, to the one-of-a-kind, the effervescent, the irreplaceable... to Judy Becotte. Cheers!

Donations may be made in her name to: Eight O'clock Theatre, PO Box 297, Safety Harbor, FL 34695 or Bainbridge Little Theatre._________________________