Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, October 6, 1994 TAG: 9412010018
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CRYSTAL CHAPPELL STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
And she "just beams" when she sings.
Singing and playing piano won the pageant's talent competition for Danice "Niecy" Hunt. Her personality, say organizers, helped the 61-year-old Roanoker take the crown at the second annual pageant, held in Roanoke in late August.
Hunt, whose first duty as Ms. Virginia Senior Citizen was to sing at the Virginia State Fair in Richmond, is representing the state this week at the Ms. National Senior Citizen pageant in Joliet, Ill.
Hunt says she's "gifted with music" and has been singing "about all my life." She used to sit on a pillow to reach the piano.
Her one music lesson ended after the teacher said, "I can't teach this child music," because Hunt already could play by ear.
Hunt, who grew up surrounded by music in church, always wanted to play piano. Her three sisters and her brother were not musically inclined, she says. So, when her mother got a piano, Hunt began picking out songs she heard in church.
Since then, Hunt has sung with about four groups and helped organize St. Gerard's Catholic Church's gospel choir 12 years ago. She also sings in the choir and regularly plays the piano at her church, Jerusalem Baptist.
Hunt says she couldn't believe she won the talent competition after singing and playing a gospel song, "Here I Am," by Carl Bentley.
"The crowning joy of the pageant," Hunt said, was when a young woman approached her after the contest and said, "I'm not really into gospel, but I found that song very, very touching."
Hunt, a retired Social Security Administration service representative, was even more surprised at winning her first pageant.
Before the winner's name was announced, Hunt said, "I had picked out the person I thought was going to win."
But Hunt's name was called instead.
"It was a real shock to me. It was a beautiful feeling."
Hunt's talent reflects her personality, and pageant organizers are "just delighted" with her.
"She just glows when she talks with you about anything," pageant co-chairwoman Jane Pendleton said.
"She has lots of vitality in her singing, her personality. She just beams," pageant chairwoman Dotty Talbott said.
The Ms. Virginia Senior Citizen pageant celebrates the vitality of the older woman and is not a beauty contest.
"I think not that some of these ladies are not beautiful, but our pageant is very interested in ladies who are beautiful inside, beautiful in action and have so much to offer everybody," said Talbott, the 1991 Ms. National Senior Citizen.
The Roanoke event showcased talent, poise and energy in daytime outfit, evening gown, talent and impromptu question events - but no swimsuit competition.
"We don't do the swimsuit business; we're too old for that," said Estelle McCadden, co-chairwoman.
Although she didn't appear nervous during the competition, Hunt said she was. But her confidence showed in the interview, said Talbott.
"She's just natural; she's just herself, and I think this takes anybody a long, long way," says Talbott.
McCadden, who goes to Hunt's church, asked Hunt to enter because of her talent and because the first pageant in 1993 did not have any black contestants. Hunt is the first African American to enter, although this year's pageant did have two African Americans.
Hunt's vitality shows not only in her talent and personality but in her other activities as well. In addition to representing Virginia at future events, Hunt will continue working at Retired Persons Services Inc., a mail-order pharmacy service. She also belongs to several church organizations and likes to travel, do puzzles, read, dance and model. She has modeled for church and school fund-raisers.
A month after the pageant, Hunt's glow has not faded. Co-workers still tease her, bowing when she comes in.
She still receives telephone calls of congratulations and has received gifts from churches where she has worked.
"Things like that kind of keep you bubbling," Hunt said.
by CNB