When asked by Commissioner

Greg Dunn, one of the pageant judges, what she thought

about winning, Ms. Mary Ann Walters replied, "I'm

afraid to take a deep breath in case it all goes away and

the bubble bursts."

She told another

contestant, "This is the best moment of my

life."

Walters, a resident at

Southland since July 1998, was also the first runner-up

in the Ms. Southland 1999 Beauty Pageant. Virginia

Arnold, Ms. Southland 1999 winner, said, "She was

first runner-up last year, so it's only right that she

win this year! I hope she can go to state and win

there."

As the winner of the local

competition, Walters will now compete with hundreds of

other winners to be one of just over twenty contestants

in the upcoming Ms. Georgia Nursing Home Pageant in May.

Louse White, Walters' best

friend at Southland Nursing Home, was pleased her friend

won. "Her mind was made up that she was going to

win. She was so excited and thrilled to be in it and she

is still excited and thrilled. I cried when she

won."

Ms. Walters is the mother

of five children, has six grandchildren and five

great-grandchildren. Walters is very proud of her family

and enjoys every minute they are together.

"Being a stay-at-home

mom and being married to my husband for 46 years is the

greatest career I could have chosen," said Walters.

"I do feel that the pay was low, but the rewards

were great!"

She has lived in Tennessee,

Texas, Georgia, Florida, New York and Ohio.

Walters was active in her

local community theater in her home state of Tennessee.

She continues to enjoy acting, and starred in

"Murder in the Magnolias" at age 72.

She also taught gymnastics

when her children were younger. She was active in

community life, just as she continues to be active at

Southland. She was a Pink Lady at a Chattanooga hospital,

volunteered at a nursing home in Hartwell and East Point,

and was a Girl Scout Leader.

She taught Sunday School

for 18 years, sang in the church choir, volunteered to

help at the church's clothes closet, directed the annual

Children's Christmas Play and was the President of the

Lutheran League.

She enjoys singing, writing

poetry, dancing, acting and "reading good

books." She is active at Southland, participating in

arts and crafts, Bible study, sing-a-longs, Reminensce,

parties and special events.

It was apparent by the

reaction from staff and nursing home residents that

Walters is well thought of. The judges were impressed

with her quick wit, her enthusiasm and her obvious love

of life. Fellow pageant contestant and third runner-up

Nadine Treantafilos congratulated Walters and said,

"I think Mary Ann's wit and clever answers won her

the crown."

According to Lyn Williams,

assistant activity director at Southland, "Ms.

Walters is a vivacious lady who can charm your socks off

when she sets her mind to it. At the pageant, six judges

and a full audience left Southland without their

socks!"

Angie Brown, activity

director at Southland, noted, "Ms. Walters, with her

charm, will be an excellent representative for Southland

Nursing Home."

Last year's winner,

Virginia Arnold, and Julie Diana Dye, Teen Miss Georgia

2000, crowned Ms. Walters Ms. Southland 2000. The 17

year-old Dye is a junior in Peachtree City. In addition

to winning the title of Teen Miss Georgia, she was

crowned Miss North Atlanta and Miss Pride of Fayette

County in 1999.

Two Poems by Mary Ann

Walters:

Dear God, she sighed, her

eyes shut tight

Please make me see the wrong from right

`Cause the world we're in today,

It's so easy to go astray.

Show me what you'd have me do

And help my path stay always true.

Hear oh Lord, hear me pray

Hear oh Lord, my prayer today.

Amen

March 23, 2000

The Poem she recited to the

judges:

Puppy Love

Igotta pain, hurts awful bad

Igotta pain, it makes me sad

That precious pain that won't go away

Seems to have come there yesterday

When a certain person turned to smile

And now it's paining all the while

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