Peggy LeCroy

Greatest personal achievement: My two children’s grandkids. Being their great grandma makes me smile the most.

Other honors I’m proud of: Being named Teacher of the Year in Sumter County. Next was winning Miss Congeniality voted on by pageant contestants and lastly, being named Inspirational Woman of the year from Pure International Pageantry. Being in a room of over 200 others and seeing them rise from their seat as I approached the stage was a memory I cherish.

Why pageants? They’re fun and I get to meet amazing women from all over the world. These friendships are priceless! I am currently Senior Mrs. Florida 2025 and will be giving this title up soon. My latest title is with Pure International where I hold the title of Senior Mrs. Legacy. I am honored to say that at 73-years-old, I will continue with this organization and encourage any lady, no matter how old, to make a difference. Pure is more than a pageant; it is a sisterhood made up of women from all around the world.

Typical day in the pageant world: I’m up at the crack of dawn then there are meetings and practices of a dance for opening number, interviews with judges, interactions with contestants and of course, hair and makeup. I do love getting dressed up, though. As a teacher for 39 years, I really didn’t have or need fancy clothes, so pageants bring out the best in me.

My Legacy: I want to be remembered as a good person, someone who made a difference, no matter how small.

Outside of day-to-day-living: I love to travel, mostly to the mountains where my husband and I had a retirement home in Sylva, NC. Once my husband got too sick to travel, selling was no option.

My Message: With the world in such turmoil, we need to get back to basics, which means prayer and the love of God. I want everyone to remember that we are all God’s children.

If I could live life over: I would not change a thing. Things happen for a reason although we may not know what that reason could be. My life experiences have made me the strong woman I am today. A mother should never have to bury a child; my son, but I did. I wanted to question God as to why, but would that change things? No, not at all.

Since retiring: Since retiring I have remained active in my community by mentoring and volunteer activities. Through volunteering I was given the name Fairy Godmother by Rachel, a young lady who lives in a group home with her friends. I will cherish that name forever as well as the night I was asked to accompany Rachel to Tim Tebow’s ‘Night to Shine.’ How special is that?

I love: Meeting new friends and hanging out with the old.

My philosophy in life: It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. Yes, my philosophy is a simple one, live each day as if it were your last. Live, laugh and love.

Fun Fact: I’ll admit I am an Elvis fan, big time. One of my favorite vacations was going to Graceland. It does not get any better than that if you are an Elvis Groupie. I can’t sing or dance but try telling that to me when an Elvis oldie comes on the radio.

Words to live by: We never know what other people may be going through, so it’s best to “Be kind to one another; it costs nothing.”

My favorite meal: I was raised on a farm in Tennessee so I grew up on country ham, biscuits and red eye gravy, garden fresh vegetables, country fried steak, mashed potatoes and cooked cabbage and if I might say, no one can match my homemade ice cream. I’ve made it all my life.

Photo: Nicole Hamel