Page 4 - Winter 2021

s| AROUND MAIN STREET Watkinsville has
unique love story
By Michael Prochaska
Madame Rosalie Gauvain was a young lady during the French Revolution who endured many hardships, often hiding in disguise to escape the guillotine. In 1802, she and her husband, Michel Ange Gauvain, left France and bought an estate here in Georgia.
Her daughter, Rose Marie Antoinette Josephine Gauvain, met Dr. Robert Harden during a ball at the Eagle Tavern, and they tied the knot Aug. 1, 1819. Harden owned a lot of land around Watkinsville and even had a local road named after him. Oconee Tourism and Visitors Bureau Director Kristy Curtis said their children married into many prominent families in Oconee County.
A wedding is the foundation of family. They are the celebration of unbreakable love between two people and also the catalyst for the love among generations.
In this winter issue of Oconee the Magazine, the love between newlyweds Chase Lee and Lyndsey Gilland is palpable and inspiring. So too is the love between a father and his sons and the love between a grandmother and her grandson.
We have stories about people who found love young and couples who found each other in their Golden Years. After her husband died of lymphoma in 2015, Nedra Johnson felt adrift, as many widows do. But she knew that in her heart, her late husband, Sid, wanted her to be happy. After some time for healing, she invited Owens Smith, who was also a recent widower, to lunch. It turned out to be a blessing for them both, and from that friendship grew a beautiful relationship. Two years ago, they were married in a beautiful barn on the property of their friend Lisa Douglas.
Last year, Chase Lee and Lyndsey Gilland also wed on a farm. The local couple were high school friends but not yet sweethearts in their teenage years. As they began their professional careers, they knew that they wanted to grow old together. Lyndsey’s mother, Tammy Gilland, helped plan a perfect wedding—even in the midst of a pandemic.
“What I want people to remember is that life goes on,” she said. “What’s important is that you take the time to celebrate with family and friends.”
Local restaurateur and football coach David Weeks said there’s nothing that compares to being a proud father of three sons and a daughter—all of whom are successful athletes. One of his boys, Zach, said he likes it when his siblings come to his games, because he plays harder and gets their feedback.
Athlete John David Lerch, enjoys his grandmother, Ann Kimsey, cheering him on at cross country meets.
“He tries real hard, and his folks always brought him up to be very polite,” Kimsey told Oconee the Magazine. “Grandchildren are just a joy to be with right now.”
In a time when big crowds and public gatherings are less common, it’s comforting to know that the ones we love the most are by our side. Family remains the true embodiment of love.
sMichael Prochaska is editor of OCONEE THE MAGAZINE and The Oconee Enterprise newspaper in Watkinsville, Ga.
Volume 11, Number 3 Winter 2021
Supplement to The Oconee Enterprise Publisher
Maridee Williams
Editor
Michael Prochaska
Advertising Director
Maridee Williams
Contributing Writers
Kathie Anderson
Julia Fechter
Justin Hubbard Wendy Jackson Cyndee Perdue Moore La Ruchala A. Murphy Michael Prochaska Brian Wellmeier George Zeliff
Contributing Photographers
Julia Fechter
Nicole Flores Photography Co. Samantha Foster of Snaps
of Sunshine Taylor Gerlach Justin Hubbard Wendy Jackson Mark Parsons Michael Prochaska Brian Wellmeier
Graphic Design
Allyn R. Jenkins Arlette Revells George H. Windate
Sales Representatives
Tracy Harmon Maridee Williams
Circulation
Maridee Williams
OCONEE THE MAGAZINE is published quarterly plus a holiday bonus issue
by Oconee Enterprise, Inc. No portion
of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without express written consent of the publisher. This includes advertisements designed and produced
by OCONEE THE MAGAZINE.
OCONEE THE MAGAZINE accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork, and none will be returned without a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
Address inquiries to:
P.O. Box 535, Watkinsville, GA 30677 or oconeethemagazine@gmail.com
© 2021 Oconee Enterprise, Inc. All rights reserved.
PAGE 2 | OCONEE THE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2021