Re: Stars of Dogtown: Phyllis Diller: LaVergne comments

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: LaVergneMc@aol.com

Phyllis lived in Webster, off of Lockwood,  and when I worked (in the late 
50's, early 60's) at Webster Groves Trust, that is where she banked.  I used 
to see her at the Bettendorf's in Webster (now Schnucks) and I  still 
remember the first time I saw her there. She  was wearing a skirt  and button 
down sweater, looking like all the other women shopping there, but she had 
her left hand up on the butcher case.  She had a ring on her hand that was 
unreal.  I was standing next to her and noticed the ring (and anyone who 
knows me would believe that in a second) and then looked at the person and 
here it was Phyllis Diller.  She was soft spoken and pleasant.  Did nothing 
to draw attention to herself. 
At that same store, I often saw Charlotte Peters who lived not far away  in 
Glendale and when I would see her, she was always an upbeat, super person.  I 
had known her from St. James, she lived in the l500 block of Gregg and I 
lived in the 1400 block of Graham Street.  But it was always interesting to 
me the difference in Phyllis and Charlotte's personna away from the 
spotlight.  Charlotte was always full of life and when I think of her I think 
of how wonderful she was when her husband, Willie, was ill and the love and 
devotion that she showed.  It was moving.
That store also had another noted person as a customer, Clarissa Start, who 
write the garden column.  She is the same if you see her at the Botanical 
Garden or an antique show, always pleasant.

LaVergne McEvoy Lee
Class of 42