Business founder Wayne Weatherbee, who died January 1, 2020, was also at the event. Wayne was an accomplished racer on the American Power Boat Association circuit. He had been heard on multiple occasions throughout the years saying that he loved his daughter Hailie more than anything else in the world — and that his racing boat came in second.

His boat, Lil Miss Budweiser, was parked on the premises for the event, with his cremated remains, in a cranberry-colored urn, at the helm. In the passenger seat, a blond female mannequin (Miss Budweiser) rounded out the effect.

The voice of the celebration was Tony Buzzella, who drove in from Lake City for the event. Many of the drivers who brought their collector cars to Bee’s were members of the Kings Ridge Klassic Kar Club. Some were not. Many cars were classics from the ’50s and ’60s, such as the 1967 Amphicar (car-boat) driven by Pat Rovetto (original owner) and the 1956 Chevy BelAir, nicknamed Fire and Ice, owned by Ken Carek. Ray Handloser, there with his 1967 Barricuda, was one of the car-guys who had known Wayne. Speaking of Wayne, Handloser said “If you didn’t know him, because of his size, you’d think he was intimidating. But he was the nicest guy. He was always helpful.”

Clermont mayor Tim Murry was one of the speakers at the ribbon-cutting part of their celebration. He congratulated Bee’s Auto on “continuing a great service to the City of Clermont.” Speaking more specifically of Wayne, Murry said that he (Murry) took his car into Bee’s years ago, and “he (Wayne) got my attention. I’ve been a fan ever since.”

Councilmember Jim Purvis also spoke at the event. Referring to Wayne as a “gentle giant,” he recalled that his first meeting with Wayne was rocky. That was the first time that Wayne and his protest signs came before the city’s code enforcement board. Purvis also recalled that when the case was finally settled by the Supreme Court of Florida, that the decision read, in part, that the “code board of the City of Clermont got it right”. “We bonded,” Purvis said.

Charlie Weatherbee fully intended to give those gathered a brief rundown of the beginning of Bee’s Auto, but when he was standing at the mike, staring at the Bee’s Auto Repair Sign across the street, he lost it, and could only say “I wish he were here.”

Margaret “Peggy” Weatherbee (Wayne’s mom) ended up giving listeners a hint as to just where Wayne’s love of speed may have come from. Wayne had just got his first car, a stick shift. He invited his mom to come to drive it. She declined. She was cooking. The young trash-talking Wayne suggested that his mom did not know how to drive stick.”I did demolition derby when I was 11,” she said. “I could take out a radiator from a mile out. I put the cooking up, I said ‘gimme the keys.’ We got in the car, I gave it just the right amount of gas … When we got to the stop sign he threw his hands up and said ‘whee, you can drive this.”

Bee’s Auto was founded in 1982 by Wayne Weatherbee. Wayne had been working on the expansion project for several years before he died. Daughter Hailie is still working on the project and is gradually growing the business to make full use of her now-doubled workspace. 

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The South Lake Tablet is happy to see Bee’s Auto Repair open for business and wish them success.

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Wayne Weatherbee grew up with a passion for making things run — preferably fast. His dad Charles “Charlie” Weatherbee fondly recalls an incident when Wayne was seven or eight. The child had just been given a three-speed bicycle. He proceeded to totally take it apart, spokes included. Charlie comes home, yells at Wayne for ruining the bike, then goes in to watch the news. After the news was done, he sees Wayne riding the fully assembled bike, and swears that it ran even better than before.

Wayne was a certified auto mechanic before he turned 18.

According to Peggy, the shop was always busy, even in the beginning. It was also daughter Hailie’s playground.

Bee’s Auto has been a fixture in downtown Clermont for decades. When asked whether she sees Bee’s as being a presence in downtown Clermont for decades to come, Hailie’s answer is an immediate “yes.”

Bee’s Auto took an odd turn in 2006 when Wayne purchased what was then A&S Auto, across the street from his shop. He said at the time, “I just want to make a living for me and my daughter.” The ‘A&S’ building, which dates from 1940, was originally a gas station. Wayne’s plan was to expand the A&S building, then move into it. Fifteen years later, that is exactly what is happening. What happened in between is the odd part.

The “new” Bee’s Auto might have opened a few years ago, but in 2019 Wayne became ill with rare cancer. He died on New Year’s Day in 2020 or, more likely, a few minutes before midnight on New Year’s Eve. He was 54.

As a business owner in a rapidly developing and changing downtown, Hailie’s aim is to be a part of that growth and an integral part of the community. Her plan for the old shop is to keep it as a place for oil changes and brake jobs. The business will then have a total of eight bays, four on either side of the street. In preparation for the expansion, Hailie has already hired one additional person. The wooden sign at the old shop, the sign that Wayne made with help from a friend, will be restored. The two signs — facing each other across Montrose — will be basically mirrored images.

The Grand Opening, September 3 is set for 10 am – 2 pm. Not all details have been finalized, but there will be food; there will be a ribbon-cutting; there will be raffle drawings; live music, including sets by the Clermont Ukulele Group (Charlie Weatherbee is big into ukuleles); and there will be collector cars there from the Kings Ridge Car Club.

Speaking of the planned celebration, Wayne’s mother Peggy says “I believe we’ll have a nice day if the weather holds. I’m sure Wayne will be there.”

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The staff of the South Lake Tablet wishes Bee’s Auto and owner Hailie success. This is a bitter-sweet story. The building is a tribute to Wayne’s determination to defend his rights as a business owner.  Though he can’t be at the Grand Opening of Bees, his spirit will shine.

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