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Pace
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can’t get enough. It’s just so much fun to see their lights come on and all those ‘aha’ experiences they have. It just makes teaching so rewarding.” From there she worked in the child development program at NorthwestShoals Community College. She wrote grants, provided teacher training, wrote a newsletter and hosted a television program called Today’s Child. During that time she was also on the advisory board for the state Pre-K program when it first came to be, and she helped write the standards for that program. “When I retired from the college in 2011, the state hired me to work as an education specialist for the Department of Early Childhood Education,” Pace said. She kept that role from 2011-2018. When it comes to Junior Miss, Pace said it was a wonderful experience that “expanded my horizons.” As with many of the Junior Misses/ Distinguished Young Women from throughout the years, she particularly enjoyed her week at the state competition. “We were hosted by a host family in a beautiful home in Birmingham – me and two
other girls,” she said. “It was just lovely … Every day they would send a car and take us to Julia Tutwiler Hotel, and we would learn our dance for the physical part, and one day we went down and worked on our talent and got ready for our interviews and everything.” For her talent, Ray helped Pace put together a song/piano piece from “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” in which Schroeder plays “Moonlight Sonata” and Lucy accompanies him on vocals – off-key, with adoring lyrics of her own making. Pace said the state competition “was a wonderful experience, start to finish.” “When you come from a little town like Russellville – and it especially was back then – it really gave me an opportunity to meet other people,” she said. “I’ve already encouraged my granddaughter to do it. It’s a wonderful opportunity for girls.” Among her many accomplishments Pace has also written three books, with more in the works. She and Barry have two children, Brian and Brent, both of whom are married – to Jennifer and Bridget, respectively – and have given the Paces nine grandchildren, ranging from first grade to graduate school.
Wiginton She avoids working on a wheel, as it aggravates the arthritis in her neck from the many years of jewelry-making. “Pottery started out as a hobby, and that’s what I’d prefer it to be, but my husband said if I brought any more in the house, I’d have to take some out the back,” Wiginton joked. That’s how she began selling her pieces. She attends a craft show now and
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Beverly Clark, 1968 Junior Miss, crowns Dianne Wages, 1969 Junior Miss, for Franklin County. The two were friends growing up, making this a special moment between them.
Continued from page 9 then, but primarily she works directly with customers who seek her out. Outside of her creative forays, Wiginton is driven by family and faith. She attends The Chapel in Florence, and she said faith is what helped get her through some tough years in her first marriage and what enriches her life now. “I would really like to see all my
grandchildren married to the Christian God chooses for them and have happy, fulfilled lives,” she said. “That’s my heart.” Between them, Beverly and Phil have four children and now eight grandchildren, who range from 8-20 years old – seven girls and one boy. The 71-year-old has a family history deeply rooted in Russellville, with her
grandparents having started Clark’s Department Store and her parents carrying on its operation. Wiginton said representing Franklin County as Junior Miss was thrilling and an honor. “It was really rewarding. I met so many nice girls. “And I’m very thankful to be where I am now.”
1987 – MICHELLE (DAVIS) CAMPBELL
hil Campbell’s Michelle (Davis) Campbell leaned on the wisdom and encouragement of a couple family members in her decision to take part in Franklin County’s Junior Miss competition: her aunt, Jean Stewart, and her aunt’s daughter, Robin (Mann) Drake – a for mer Franklin County Junior Miss herself in 1976. “Robin was a for mer Miss Alabama Teen USA, and I had grown up watching her participate in many programs,” Campbell noted. As a high school Bobcat, Campbell was involved in varsity cheer, National Honor Society, Student Council and various other clubs. Despite being an active and social person, she said she still had to contend with nerves during the Junior Miss program. “It was challenging because I did
get very nervous during the process. It takes a lot of hard work and time,” said
Campbell, nevertheless describing it as “well worth any challenges.” “Present-day high school students should embrace the opportunity to participate in the DYW program,” she added. “It will be full of opportunities for their future, and they will make great memories along the way … I met some wonderful friends that, even today, 35 years later, I keep in touch with.” As for Campbell’s future, after high school she attended The University of Alabama, where she ear ned her bachelor’s degree in early childhood/ elementary education. It’s a degree she has put to good use – for the past 12 years, as a second- through fourthgrade teacher at Elite Lear ning Academy in Coppell, Texas. “Our school is inside Texas Dreams
Gymnastics facility. My daughter was a gymnast here for 13 years and attended the school, so I began teaching here when she was younger,” Campbell explained. “I love it. The girls are very well behaved and goal driven. The school also allows kids from other sports or activities to come to our school.” Campbell lives in Highland Village, Texas, a suburb of Dallas, having lived in the state for 25 years. “We did move back to Alabama for three years at one point, but we now remain in Texas with no plans to move again,” she said. She has two children: daughter Reagan is 23 and in a fifth-year senior at Louisiana State University, where she is a member of the gymnastics team, and son Davis is 19 and a freshman at LSU.
