Aunt Bea
The Maundy Monday Newsletter - This Week in History August 3 - 9.
Francis Elizabeth Bavier was an American actress who won an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Show in 1967 for her role as Aunt Bee on The Andy Griffin Show.
Bavier grew up in New York City and had planned to become a teacher when she caught the acting bug. After graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, she soon landed her big break on a Broadway show. She spent most of the 1950s playing a variety of roles until 1960, when she made a guest appearance on The Danny Thomas Show, playing a woman named Henrietta.
The episode told the story of how the main character, Danny Thomas, was arrested by the local sheriff in a small town called Mayberry. The sheriff’s name was Andy Taylor, played by actor Andy Griffith. The Andy Griffith Show debuted in October 1960, and Bavier would join the cast.
Bavier would play a new character - Aunt Bee, the sister of Taylor’s father. Her full name was Beatrice Taylor, but instead of “Bea,” she went by a different spelling for no apparent reason. The show was widely popular and ran for a total of eight years – but Bavier could never break through with other acting opportunities – she was Aunt Bee to everyone. Three years after winning the Emmy, Bavier thought it was damned foolishness that Hollywood decision-makers weren’t taking her acting career more seriously, so she quit and moved to North Carolina for the rest of her life. Bavier passed away in 1989 – but Aunt Bee lives on forever.
Elizabeth Ann Hickey was born at Columbia Hospital for Women in Washington, DC, to John and Margaret Hickey on April 26, 1946. She had two brothers, John and David; attended an all-girls Catholic school; met Jim Hastings at the age of 15 at the gym at Georgetown University; went on a first date with him a few weeks later at a dance at Holy Trinity School; and eventually married him.
Liz and Jim Hastings would have two children, Margaret (Margy) and Kevin. A few years after Kevin graduated from college, Jim and Liz got something they never asked for – a son-adjacent named Chris, who, among other non-remarkable achievements, would go on to write the world’s most mediocre American history blog.
For two decades, the Hastings and the son-adjacent would have Sunday dinners together, welcome new grandchildren, enjoy a week at the beach, and finally see the son-adjacent marry up, while talking at super high and unnecessarily loud audible levels.
But ten years ago, Liz was diagnosed with cancer. After the decade-long battle, she passed away peacefully with her family surrounding her on Friday, July 31, 2026.
Liz was a beautiful woman with short blond hair and an infectious smile. She was also a talented athlete who grew up playing basketball and later took up tennis. In the middle, she raised two fantastic children and then returned to college, earning her degree in History at Trinity University in DC, graduating magna cum laude and being elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
Like many in the nation’s capital, Liz worked for the federal government. She helped chase down bad actors, doing a lot of investigations for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the SEC. She then moved over to the private sector, ensuring that the government didn’t overstep and become reckless and foolish.
But her work did not define her – she did that herself. When it came to how their grandchildren would refer to them, Margaret Hickey and her daughter Liz got creative. Margaret would be Snooky – or Snookie. (I’m actually not sure how you spell it, but I always called her Snooky.) When Liz became a grandmother, she also did not want to adopt traditional names, so Jim provided a suggestion – Bee. Or Bea. I’m not sure how Pops (Jim’s chosen grandfather name) chose how to spell it. The legend has it that Margy chimed in with Ain’t Bee.
It was settled. Liz would be Aunt Bea forever to her family.
Aunt Bea was the best. She was the best cook. She had a magical way of suggesting what you were about to eat wouldn’t be that good, but after tasting it, you experienced the best meal you’d ever had. She was a wizard when it came to dessert – like this one:
She was a tough tennis player; she was the best at the net. She also studied the game and watched tennis all the time. Bea and Pops traveled a lot – and when they could mix tennis and traveling, it was the perfect time for the two high school sweethearts who grew up together loving and learning the same activities.
Aunt Bea suffered no fools. I’m confident this was a genetic trait. Like her mother, she didn’t tolerate much “damned foolishness,” whether that was someone expressing an opinion that didn’t sound right, that same someone suggesting they had a made-up allergy that didn’t make sense, or the general concept of pickleball.
I could go on and on about Bea. I probably didn’t get a few details of her life right, but I know this: She loved her husband and her kids. She loved all six of her grandchildren. She was a force in creating a dynamic family that I have had the privilege to call my own for over 25 years now.
I’m forever grateful to her and everything she did for me in our relationship. She was intensely helpful in my lowest times and an extraordinary cheerleader at my highest of highs.
Rest in peace, Aunt Bea.
Okay, let’s get to what else happened this week. As a reminder, these events mark anniversaries ending in 5 or 0.
1. Barack Obama was born on August 4, 1961. The 44th president was born in Hawaii, and he has the long-form birth certificate to prove it. He would go on to serve two consecutive terms, and his candidacy was backed by Aunt Bea. There was no doubt that she felt the idea that the president of the United States needed to get on television and provide his birth certificate was “damned foolishness.” I would bet that at their peak, Bea would have whipped Obama in a game of HORSE.
2. The Revenue Act was passed on August 5, 1861. Motivated by the need to fund the Civil War, the federal government instituted the first income tax on its citizens in various forms. This included a flat tax and tariffs on goods like sugar, coffee, and booze. The implementation of tariffs is the current administration’s most backed policy – and Bea would tell you every possible reason why tariffs, especially on booze, are “damned foolishness.” This stance is supported because Bea has read about a million more books than the current and lowest-ranked office occupier.
3. President Reagan fired the PATCO air traffic controllers on August 5, 1981. Workers went on strike on August 3, and President Reagan gave them 48 hours to reconsider what was deemed to be an unlawful act. He fired all 11,000+ air traffic controllers and banned them for life from ever being rehired. This included those who worked at National Airport – just on the other side of the Potomac River from DC. It was renamed after Reagan when I first moved here, and I remembered how bonkers it was to slap this small government advocate’s name on all things, but especially an airport. Aunt Bea never referred to National Airport as “Reagan,” and neither do I. Damned foolishness at its highest degree.
Aunt Bea had so many more wonderful qualities. I loved her laugh – it was short with a loud burst, and she followed it with a smile that shaped her entire face. When you said goodbye to her, her eyes softened as she looked into yours. Over the past few months during our goodbye ritual at Sunday dinner, I would lock in with her soft eyes, and Bea instructed me to give her thoughts and best wishes to my Mom, who was also fighting her own cancer battle.
She was fiercely loyal. She’s the type of person who would hold you by your shoulders, with that same locked-in manner, look you in the eye, and tell you how special you are. You knew it too; you felt it.
Aunt Bea’s energy was contagious in the best way. You couldn’t ignore it. You could solve the world with just a piece of Bea’s liveliness.
Her intensity and opinions were her love language.
Despite the fact that Liz Hastings has passed - Aunt Bea will live forever.
Have a great week – and thanks, as always, for your support of Okay History. Please keep Aunt Bea and her family in your prayers, and I’ll see you soon with the next edition of vice presidents ranking.
Okay,
Chris
Chris, this is the most beautiful, touching and heartwarming tribute to Liz.