The healing process begins after Nana's terrible demise in Hot Springs Arkansas...1978

Evelyn Dorney, (my mother in law,)  my husband Gene Dorney, me and my Baby Georgia, my sister Billee and my dad Bill Williams with his Fiancee, Gloria Rosan, at Georgia's second birthday at Disneyland.

Life took on a new slant, three years after Nana's death, and our war-torn family began to heal.  Bill Williams wild years came to an end and he took his role, as head of the family, more seriously after his mother's mysterious death in Arkansas.  He was a grandfather now, a father and soon to be a married man once again.  The best years of our lives waited for us in the 1980's.

Read more about my family and the terrible ordeal in Hot Springs Arkansas. in The Mayelline Story and the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It.

Visit my Hilarious 1964 High Schoo Diary called 
Saffrons Rule at saffronsrule.com

1968 SHELBY GT 500 COBRA MUSTANG RULED THE ROAD.

Sharrie and Georgia
with the Shelby 1978

I had owned my Shelby GT 500 for 11 wonderful years after my dad gave it to me for my 24th Birthday, but when someone in Laguna Beach offered to buy it, my husband Gene and cousin Chuck convinced me to sell it for $4,000.   

I called my dad and told him about the offer and he said, "Honey, since the car is rusting out at the beach, it's not worth putting any money into it so go ahead and try to get something out of it." 

Years later,  he said, he regretted his decision at the time, because it was now worth $50,000, even in the shape I sold it. I still kick myself for listening to Gene, Chuck and my Dad because it was best car I ever drove. 

Gene's mother gave me her 1969, competition orange and white Camaro for my Birthday, but it was a sad compensation for my Shelby GT500..... with the extra-big  engine, chrome wire wheels, whitewall tires, rag top and the Cobra emblem. The Shelby was a real muscle car and would remain top in it's class forever. 

Every time I saw my Shelby cruising around Laguna Beach, I felt someone kicked me in the stomach, but it was even more painful when it was shipped off to Hawaii and I never saw it again. The Shelby represented an era for me that was over. I was now in a new phase of my life and driving a hot rod wasn't practical anymore. Or so I convinced myself evermore.

Carroll Shelby at Barrett Jackson in Las Vegas, 09.

LAGUNA BEACH FIRESTORM, THE EXODUS...

The fire department gave up trying to save any houses on the hill.  The blaze had become a firestorm.  They decided to post whatever trucks were available... at the end of  Skyline Drive to keep the the fire from burning down the town. 

Gene and Georgia, along with 20,000 plus people evacuated Laguna Beach, heading South to points unknown.  Gene decided my sister Donna's house in Dana Point was where I'd finally wind up, so  inched down Coast Highway for four hours on a journey that normally took 10 minutes.

At exactly the same time, the clock in my Tie Chi class said 5:00 P.M.  I'd been concerned about the fire, but had no idea how bad it had gotten.  Slowly I got up off my mat and walked outside.  The hot winds blew my hair up in the air and a black cloud of smoke filled the sky. 

A girl standing next to me said,  "It's coming from Laguna Beach and it's been growing all day... It looks like bad smoke, the kind that means fire." 

"My Tie Chi teacher's daughter had called him and said the fire was in Emerald Bay," I rebutted.  "That's far enough away from Mystic Hills.  I don't think I have to worry." 

"I don't know," she said, " I think you better get going if you live there."  I quickly left class early and headed home.

The news on my car radio confirmed that Laguna Beach was on fire, but didn't give any details.  I stopped at a phone booth to call my sister Donna, but a lady with a van filled to the top with her belongings - holding two Golden Retrievers on a leash - was talking on the phone.

Looking devastated, she turned to me face and said, "my house just burned down."

I asked her where she lived and she said, "Emerald Bay."

"Has it gotten to Mystic Hills," I asked her.

"I don't know, but maybe," she said.

With that I didn't wait to call Donna.  Instead I panicked and rushed down Crown Valley towards Coast Highway. I got stuck in a logger jam of traffic as the police turned everyone away form Laguna Beach.  The officer said I had to take a different route, because nobody was allowed to go into Laguna.

My heart was pounding with fear, not knowing what was really going on and found side streets to my sisters house.  When I finally got there, I ran up the stairs and could hear her talking on the phone to our dad.  Then all of a sudden she saw me and said, "where have you been."

"Where's  Georgia," I screamed..


"Georgia's fine, but your house is gone!" she screamed back.

Life as I'd known it was over, gone with the wind just like that. I was beyond thankful that Georgia was safe with Gene.  I knew I could count on him in a crisis.  I just prayed he saved my work and my pictures.  The TV showed aerial views of the fire and the smell of smoke in the air was burning my eyes.

I talked to my dad and he said, "Georgia and and Gene are fine, but the house was on fire when they left."


I was in too much shock to feel pain.  A horrible wave of shame washed over me for not listening to my instinct and staying home.  Dad said, "Gloria (my stepmother) has already called the Insurance Company and reported the loss, I bet you'll be the first person to file a claim."
He kept talking trying to comfort me, but I drifted into space until he said, "and the adjuster will be calling you tonight and bringing a check for $10,000 tomorrow."

From that point on the phone rang off the hook with all my friends and family wanting to know if Georgia and I were okay....The only one I'd talk to was David my writing partner, who assured me that he had a copy of my manuscript and some of the pictures for to be used in The Maybelline Story.  He was optimistic, and said, "don't worry Sharrie, now you can rebuild your dream house with a second story overlooking the ocean."


That sounded like a miracle, but right now, I just wanted my own little house back.  After that Donna took every call so I could calm down and wait for Georgia and Gene to arrive.


Gene's truck pulled into the driveway at 9:00 PM and I screamed when they came in smelling like smoke, covered with soot.  I grabbed my daughter in my arms, and said, "thank God, you're okay honey."


"Mom, where were you." she asked, with tears in her eyes, "why weren't you home?"


"I was at school, honey," I said, "Don't you remember, I'm always at school on Wednesday."


"Nobody knew where you were," Gene said, grabbing me and holding me tight against his chest, did you talk to your dad."


"Yes," I said, "he's so grateful you both got out safe..... but did you save my work? did you get my pictures?"
looking at him wide eyed... then Georgia... then him again.


"I don't know," he said, "I got a lot of stuff, but you don't understand..... it was so dark and smoky I could hardly see."


"What do you mean," I said, panicking, "it was right next to the door."


"I got what I could," he said, "but I don't know if I got it all."


Georgia looked at me with disgust, as I screamed at her dad, "Mom, you weren't even there, you have no idea how hard it was for us!..... dad got one box by the door, but we had to get out."

I lost it..... screaming at Gene, not appreciating that he'd done the best he could.  He wanted to slap me, but finally grabbed me and took me out to his truck.  He opened the back up so I could dig through the stuff  like a crazy person.  The neighbors watched in amazement knowing I was a fire victim.  I found one box of pictures and some writing files, but my main Maybelline manuscript was gone and so was everything else.

It was more horrible than I expected, the devastation of my life's work and all of my heirlooms gone forever.  I looked at Gene, and hated him for purposely sabotaging my career out of jealousy.

"You're a f....... crazy person right now." he said and I was.....Crazy like a homeless refugee without even a f...... tooth brush.


Gene put all my remaining belongings, mostly underwear and clothes..... as well as the pictures Georgia had taken off the walls..... in the back of my car and I almost threw up looking at the remains of my life. 

Georgia was furious that I wasn't more grateful and exhausted from trying to get to me, rather than going straight to her dad's house in Newport Beach.  Gene decided to take Georgia home with him so she could have her own bed and let me begin the grieving process.

That night, Donna pulled her living room couch out for me to sleep on and I continued to watch the fires on TV with out ever really falling asleep.  My mind kept telling me to just get in the car and go home.  I had to stop myself every time I wanted to run out the door and go screaming into the night.  I had to keep reminding myself that there was no home to go home to.

I cried and screamed into my pillow and paced the floor. Standing on Donna's deck looking at the red October sky, I was amazed at how haunting the blood-red full moon looked over the ocean.  It's Armageddon for sure, I thought.  In my fog I remembered last January when my neighbors lost their homes in the mud slides.  Now I  knew how they felt..... The void was unimaginable, the emptiness and loss overwhelming.  But thank God Georgia was safe, and Gene had her.  Everything else could be replaced..... except my family pictures and heirlooms.  But at least Gene had saved one box of old family pictures and that would be enough for the book.

As my minded raced going over the events of the day, I remembered putting the padlock on the door leading into the garage.  We had been robbed a few weeks before and I was being extra safe.  Now I could kill myself because Gene couldn't get in to save 35 picture albums and 30 years of my journals.  All that work went up in smoke and I wanted to die.  How could fate be so cruel?  How will I ever get through this?  I wanted to give up and let my dream of being a published author die..... but a voice inside kept telling me to keep going..... So I did.


The next day, was the beginning of the rest of my life and the beginning of forming a new identity out of nothing.  It was time for me to be tested, to see who I was on the inside..... rather than rely on my possessions as self worth.  But what frightened me the most was finding out I was nothing.....

             Part three of the Laguna Beach Firestorm.
 
 
To be continued tomorrow.....

Sharrie and Gene never gave up on their dreams.

I married a brilliant young attorney, Gene Dorney, in the early 1970's and for 20 years we balanced marriage with trying to make our personal dreams come true.

When we were kids, Gene dreamed of being a Record Producer - discovering young talent and guiding their careers - while I hoped to become an actress, producer, and writer.  We never gave up on our dreams.

Having dreams kept us young and excited about the future.  In time Gene, formed his own band, The Rounders, and I began to write The Maybelline Story.

The Rounders, played together for over 35 years, before Gene started, The Gene Dorney Band.

A talented musician, Gene played the Base Guitar, Sax, Clarinet, and had a distinctive singing voice.

You can find The Gene Dorney Band, still Rocking, in Newport Beach.  

The healing begins, as my family takes on a new make-up.

Getting on the right track, as our family heals from the aftermath of Arkansas.

Gene's mother, Evelyn Dorney, Gene, Sharrie, Baby Georgia, my sister Billee, Bill and Gloria at Georgia's second birthday at Disneyland.

Life took on a new slant, three years after Nana's death, and our war-torn family began to heal.  Bill calmed down with Gloria, and he took his role, as head of the family, more seriously.  He was a grandfather now, a father and soon to be a married man once again.  The best years of our lives waited for us in the 1980's.

Stay tuned for Bill and Gloria's Wedding in Montecito, New Years Eve, 1979.

It's still not to late to purchase tickets for my One Woman Show, Sept 7th, at The Beverly Hills Women's Club.  Hope to see some of you there as I make The Maybelline Story come alive.

That 70's show...Life after Nana's mysterious death, 1978

After Nana's sudden death - that shook us all to the bone - I realized I was no longer her little glamour-protege'.  I embraced a healthier lifestyle, which included, eating clean, exercising and being Baby Georgia's Mommy.

Sharrie and Baby Georgia, on her first Birthday, loving her first set of Hot Wheels and all the cake she wanted to eat with her hands.

              Gene and Sharrie with Baby Georgia. 

The baby gave our lives meaning, and dreams of becoming a star seemed to melt away after Nana was gone.  I felt happy inside and not so concerned about how I looked in designer clothes anymore.  Our lives became simple, quiet and peaceful.

Of course you know the drill by now.  If you want to know more about my life after Nana's death, purchase your copy of The Maybelline Story and let me know what you think. 

Maybelline Girl becomes a Bride!

"A toast to Mr. and Mrs. Beautiful," he said - as Father of the Bride -  kicking off an all night reception, at his Palm Springs estate, before sending his daughter and her new husband off on an Acapulco Honeymoon. 

Married on the steps on my Fathers Spanish Casa, with 250 quests in attendance. 

Gene E. Dorney Attorney at Law, and his Bride,

Sharrie Lynn Williams. 

 Though I was sad letting go of my last name, Williams, I was very happy being Mrs Gene. E. Dorney.  Here we are in Acapulco having fun, before getting sun-stroke, winding up sick in bed and having to come home early.   For the next 6 months, my job was writing out hundreds of thank you notes, finding a place for a room filled with Shower and Wedding gifts and looking for a new home - a Wedding gift from my father.

Want to know more?  Pick you a signed copy of The Maybelline Story and be prepared for a roller coaster ride that will leave you waiting to exhale.