Features Editor

Mae A. Jones doesn’t feel really dressed without a hat, but she gladly traded her purple plume for a tiara Thursday night.

Jones was crowned Ms. Pike Manor 2001 before a large audience of friends and family at the health center and she said it was one of the happiest moments of her life.

The pageant is held annually at Pike Manor and the winner advances to the state nursing home pageant in Birmingham later in the year.

First runner-up in the Ms. Pike Manor pageant was Annie Flowers. Cornelia Caylor was second runner up and Ouida Wesley was third. Fannie Scott was named Ms. Congeniality.

The panel of judges, Jerry Barron, Rosa Carroll, Charlie Harris and Helen McLaney, said the decision was a difficult one and that any of the contestants would have represented Pike Manor well.

The other pageant participants were Eddie Christian, Sallie Fortune, Mavis Hamm, Sara Howell, Virginia McVay, Mary Roberts, Marie Wilburn and Marjorie Wright.

Mr. Pike Manor 2000 Katie Jackson relinquished the title to Jones, but held on to the crown which she, laughingly, said she didn’t want to give up.

"I’ve had too good of a time," Jackson said. "And, I want to thank everybody for such a good year. I hope Mae will have as good a time as I did."

Jones, 89, has one daughter who lives in Miami. She said she enjoys reading and participating in church act ivies. Her husband, Wilbur Jones, is the person she admires most.

Flowers is 87 years young. She had three children, nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren and that makes her "very rich." The person she admires most is her granddaughter, Valerie.

Second runner-up Caylor is also a rich lady, with three children, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She enjoys sewing, reading and arts and crafts. Her mother is the person she admires most.

Although she doesn’t have any children, Ouida Wesley said her live has been full and happy. She especially enjoys reading the Bible and attending church and gospel singings.

"I just love everybody," she said.

At age 94, Scott still hasn’t lost her charm. Ms. Congeniality likes playing Bingo "and winning" and coloring and painting. Of all the people she knows, she admires her niece, Augusta McBryde, most.

Jim Roling, master of ceremonies, polled the court to find out what "royalty" likes for dinner. Barbecue was the odds-on favorite with fried chicken taking second and fried chicken third. Between sweet potato pie, blackeyed peas and butter beans – it was too close to call.

Dianne Smith and Linda Railey, Pike Manor administrators, and Rochelle Hill, activity director, expressed appreciation to the pageant participants and those who supported them by their attendance. They also expressed thanks to Roling, emcee for the event,

and to Whitney Stephens and Art Williams who provided the entertainment and all others who made the 2001 Ms. Pike Manor Pageant a great success.