Lynelle Oliver would probably tell you the crowning achievements in her life were raising a family and having a career devoted to the care of others, but at the age of 84, she experienced a literal crowning achievement after being named the winner of Parkside Assisted Living Facility’s second annual Beautiful Grandmother Pageant, which was held Aug. 12.
Oliver, who inherited the crown from inaugural pageant winner Mary Stamper, was born in Mississippi. She was in the fourth grade when her family moved to Starke. Oliver married and had three wonderful daughters. When her children were old enough, she returned to college and earned a degree as a registered nurse. She worked at Alachua General Hospital for many years, holding the positions of ER nurse, patient-care coordinator, director of emergency flight services and director of nursing. She retired after more than 30 years of service.
The new queen, who enjoys crossword puzzles, shopping and spending time with her family, is still a nurse at heart. She watches over and cares for people to this day.
Esther Shuford Hall, 90, was named first runner-up. She grew up in Lawtey, right down the road from Benton Futch. Hall attended Bradford County schools and worked in banking in Gainesville for a couple of years after graduation. She later got a job at the Bradford County Tax Collector’s Office, where she worked 27 years before being elected as tax collector. Hall served in that role for 12 years until her retirement.
Hall and her husband, Bobby, traveled the U.S. for approximately 15 years following her retirement, fishing and sightseeing in Alaska and Canada. She has two daughters — Brenda and Donna — who live in Starke.
When it comes to hobbies, Hall likes shopping, shopping and shopping. It’s said that she never went into a Belk store she didn’t like.
The pageant’s second runner-up was 70-year-old Mary Sue Tomlinson. Tomlinson, an only child, attended Bradford schools and graduated from Bradford High. She was married and had two children. Tomlinson had a successful career. Her favorite job was working at the ag building as an administrative assistant.
Tomlinson enjoys shopping and is always thinking of others.
Barbara Winters, 59, was named Miss Congeniality. Winters, who was born in Jacksonville, was married and had two wonderful sons. She worked in an elementary school cafeteria, but it was at the local McDonald’s where she spent most of her work life. Winters was a general manager, but had to retire due to health issues. However, she can still show you how to “shake with those fries.”
Winters’ hobbies include spending time with her children and going to the beach. She loves to collect cow stuff and shops every chance she gets.
Stamper, the 2021-22 Grandma Beauty Queen, is 85. She was born in Live Oak and married the “love of her life” at the age of 18. Stamper had two children born 13 months apart. She was a mother and homemaker, while her husband was often away from home because of his work with the railroad. Stamper was active in the PTA, WMU at church and the church choir. She enjoyed bowling for many years.
Another joy in Stamper’s life was — and still is — cooking. She makes desserts for Parkside three times a week. Everyone there can attest that she is a wonderful cook.
Stamper enjoyed her reign as Beautiful Grandmother of Parkside — so much so that she had to be asked to stop wearing her crown at the breakfast table.
Celia Hinds, Matthew Page and Trish Tucker served as judges, awarding points based on beauty, personality, humor and enthusiasm.
Elizabeth Nazworth tallied the judges’ scores.
Don Hardy served as emcee.
The other pageant participants were:
—Nettie Griffin, 92, was born in Mississippi, the youngest of nine children. She was married at 17 and has one child (a daughter). Griffin’s first job outside the home was at Big Dad (the Starke sewing company), where she worked for five years before going to work at Tacachale (formerly known as Sunland Training Center). She worked there for 31 years until retiring in 1995. Griffin enjoys reading and doing puzzles. The year her daughter graduated from high school, Griffin was determined to obtain her GED, which she did that same year. She was at the Grand Ole Opry on Aug. 2, 1952, which was Hank Williams’ last performance there.
—Martha Hires, 83, who’s also known as “Skipper,” was raised in Jacksonville and graduated from Andrew Jackson High School in 1957. She married Johnny Hired and has two children. Hires stayed home while her children were young. She then began her career in the trucking industry, spending 25 years working — and loving — for different truck lines. Hires took pride in making sure her family had everything it needed. She enjoys going to antique shows and decorating. Hires spends her days joking around, making others laugh and, of course, dancing.
—Pat Friedlin, 89, was born in Jacksonville and graduated from Florida State University with a degree in social work. She was a member of FSU’s synchronized swimming team. Friedlin, who married the love of her life, Buddy Friedlin. He worked as an air-traffic controller, while she worked at the Children’s Home Society. One of her tasks was to deliver adopted children to their new families. When it came time to raise her own four children, Friedlin stayed at home. She was involved in many organizations and was proud of the work she did with Girl Scouts. Friedlin was a proud pastor’s wife who never went to a rummage sale she didn’t love. She is known at Parkside for her positivity and always being “fine and dandy.”
—Lola Head, 91, was born in Hamilton County and graduated from White Springs High School. She married the love of her life, Charles Zipperer, and had one son: Randall. When asked why she never had any more children, she always says, “I had the most perfect child. Why would I need any more?” Head worked for many years in the courthouses in Suwannee and Bradford counties — specifically in the Tax Collector’s Office — as well as at Clay Electric and Florida Power and Light. She enjoyed years of traveling in her RV as well as playing canasta with friends, but she was found spending time at the waterfront whenever possible. Head has four grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. She has survived three husbands and continues to be the biggest flirt on the walk.
—Wanda Prevatt, 88, was born in Fitzgerald, Georgia. She met her husband, J.T. Prevatt, when they were in high school. (He was a football player. She was a cheerleader.) They married Aug. 11, 1951, celebrating their 71st anniversary the day before the pageant, and have three wonderful children. Prevatt worked for Bradford County Schools, beginning as a paraprofessional and ending as the bookkeeper at Bradford High School. She sold countless prom and Grad Bash tickets during her time at BHS. Prevatt retired with 37 years of service. Over the years, she has enjoyed sewing, making quilts and working in her yard. However, nothing is more important than spending time with her nine grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
—Mary Lou Gregory, 82, was born in Caribou, Maine, and moved to Washington, D.C., to be a switchboard operator with her sister. She moved to Jacksonville with her husband in the 1960s. They worked in the mortgage business for 20 years. Gregory has one son: Marty. Her hobbies include making jewelry, baking bread and cookies and spending time with family.
—Ann Hudson, 79, was born in Massachusetts. She was an only child, but made up for it when she had six children of her own. While her children were growing up, she worked periodically as a certified nursing assistant, never doing so full-time until her children were grown. Hudson enjoyed a lengthy career as a CNA at a long-term care facility. She moved to Florida to be closer to her children. Hudson’s hobbies include baking and spending time with family. She’s also always up for a game of cards.
—Roberta “Bobbi” Martin-Blair, 98, grew up in Florida. After high school, she attended Johns University. She and her husband, V.L. Martin, were missionaries for 12 years. They had three sons and returned to mission work in Aruba, Curacao and Trinidad. Martin-Blair wrote and had a book published about her adventures as a missionary. She was a pastor’s wife for 14 years and grew a church of 150 to one of 1,000. After her husband’s passing, Martin-Blair received a call from an old high school friend. She married him and moved to Keystone. Martin-Blair loves collecting stamps. She and her family are proudly keeping the U.S. Postal Service in business — she gets a letter every day from her son or her stepdaughter Barbara.
