Ava Chats: Ava Gardner and the Legacy of the Gardner Women

By Ava Gardner Museum on May. 06, 2021

In our continued effort to share the remarkable life and lasting legacy of Ava Gardner with fans the world over, the Museum recently launched a new virtual initiative. Our new virtual program, called Ava Chats, features in-depth conversations between the Museum’s staff, curatorial team, board of directors, and special guests. Topics for our series span Ava’s entire life, from her humble beginnings in rural North Carolina to her relaxed final years in London. We also showcase the Museum’s vast repository of Ava’s personal and professional artifacts which include photographs, jewelry, costumes, memorabilia, papers, ephemera, and much more.

Our special guest for this episode, Ava Thompson, was photographed as a child while on a call with her Aunt Ava.

Our third episode of Ava Chats was recorded in May to honor Mother’s Day. Lora Stocker, museum board member and an active volunteer on the museum’s social media team, hosted the episode. The guests for the conversation included a returning Ava Chats participant, Lynell Seabold, executive director of the Ava Gardner Museum, as well as a new, very special guest, Ava Thompson. Ava Thompson is the Trustee of the Ava Gardner Trust as well as the great-niece and namesake of Ava Gardner.

gardner-family-c-1910

Gardner family photo of Ava's parents (Mollie and Jonas) and three eldest siblings with their paternal aunt, also named Ava.

In honor of Mother’s Day, we discussed the Gardner family with a special emphasis on the resilient women of the family, including Ava’s mother and four older sisters. Ava Thompson grew up knowing or hearing family stories about all of these wonderful women. Our conversation for this episode of Ava Chats explores and celebrates the Gardner women, their influence on each other, and their lasting legacy.

The full-length recording of the event is available for purchase through our gift shop. The first two episodes of Ava Chats, about Pandora and the Flying Dutchman, and Ava in Love & Marriage, are also available in our gift shop.

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More Resources

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Author

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About our Blog Authors

Lynell Seabold is the former Executive Director of the Ava Gardner Museum. She has been with the Museum since July 2016 and has a background in business and accounting. Since retiring in December 2023, Lynell serves in part time capacity at the Museum managing the accounting and grant writing functions. She is a transplant from San Diego, CA, and now calls North Carolina home.

Beth Nevarez is the collections manager at the Ava Gardner Museum. She has a master’s degree in public history and nearly 10 years’ experience working in museums. A Wilson, North Carolina native, Beth attended UNC Chapel Hill and UNC Wilmington for her studies, focusing on American history and public history. She now operates Beth Nevarez Historical Consulting and specializes in caring for historical collections and sharing history through collections outreach initiatives.

Lora Stocker began volunteering as a social media specialist with the Ava Gardner Museum in 2019 and then joined the Museum’s Board of Directors. She is a professional artist, designer, and illustrator operating her own business Lora Stocker Designs in Johnston County, North Carolina. She received degrees in Studio Art and Visual Communication at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her diverse career in the arts has included commissions from national and international brands as well as those from North Carolina-based businesses and non-profits. When not creating, she likes to spend time traveling and exploring with her husband, visiting the country’s National Parks and sites related to classic film history.

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Ava Chats: Ava Gardner and the Legacy of the Gardner Women

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