Cape Girardeau senior named District 5 Ms. Nursing Home Queen

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Six women from skilled nursing homes in southeast Missouri competed in the District 5 Ms. Nursing Home virtual pageant, sharing their life stories of family, work, community service and hobbies.

Hazel Welter

Missouri Health Care Association, which sponsored the pageant, crowned the Queen and her Court on Aug. 6 via the Zoom platform due to continuing COVID-19 protocols and a commitment to ensuring the safety of residents. Hazel Welter, a resident of Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau was crowned District 5 Ms. Nursing Home Queen. First Runner-Up was Rhonda Thornton, a resident of Heartland Care and Rehab Center in Cape Girardeau. Second Runner-Up was Shirley Martin, a resident of Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau.

Other contestants were: Joan England, 87, a resident of Life Care Center in Cape Girardeau; Martha Haynes, 66, a resident of Southgate Living Center in Caruthersville, Missouri; and Mildred Parks, 90, a resident of Sikeston Convalescent Center in Sikeston, Missouri.

The pageant exemplifies the elegance of women over the age of 60. Contestants submitted a written biography and life story. They participated Wednesday in a virtual pageant in which they presented their personal stories and answered pre-determined questions. A panel of judges scored each contestant on her Zoom presentation to determine the District 5 Queen and her Court.

MHCA is Missouri's largest long-term care trade association representing licensed proprietary, not-for-profit, skilled nursing, assisted living and residential care facilities. MHCA member facilities are divided into seven districts, each holding their own pageant with queens from area facilities. District 5 includes Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Crawford, Dent, Dunklin, Iron, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Oregon, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, Ste. Genevieve, St. Francois, Scott, Stoddard, Washington and Wayne counties.

Each District's Queen advances to the statewide pageant competition. They will compete for the title of 2021 Ms. Missouri Nursing Home Queen during a virtual pageant in September.

Welter, 96, was born Dec. 22, 1924, in Cape Girardeau. Her childhood teachings to be respectful, tolerant, thankful and have a love of country helped her to achieve her goal of a full, blessed life, she wrote in her biography.

Welter was active in sports and enjoyed playing softball for the girl's city league as a youth. She graduated from what is now known as Cape Central High in May 1942. World War II took the lives of many young men from her class, she recalled in her biography.

Welter didn't meet the age requirements for the Navy WAVES, so her mother changed her date of birth and signed for her. She arrived at boot camp in 1944 at Hunter College in New York. The training was strenuous and sometimes frightening, but she weathered it. She was soon on her way to a Naval base in Hutchinson, Kansas, where she was assigned to the log office and kept records on airplane parts and flying times, along with other duties. She was discharged in March 1946 in New Orleans.

After returning to southeast Missouri, she met and married her husband Richard W. Welter. He had been a supply sergeant in the Army. He became active in civic affairs and served as mayor, marshal and treasurer for the small township of Ancell, Missouri, which later became Scott City. She has a daughter, two grandsons and two great-grandchildren.

Welter worked as a department store credit manager from 1948 to 1960. She retired in 1990 from the Scott County Clerk's Office. She and her husband had an active life. Her husband was a charter member of VFW Post 6407 in Scott City. She became a charter member of the Post Auxiliary a year later. The couple held many offices until his death in 1986, and the Post abandoned. She then became a life member of VFW Post 3838 Auxiliary in Cape Girardeau.

Welter said the care at Missouri Veterans Home is special to her, and she's happy to be a resident. She tries to participate in activities and loves the waves and smiles from other residents. She also works hard to be pleasant and to have a positive attitude.

Welter's court includes:

First runner-up Rhonda Thornton, 61, arrived at Heartland Care and Rehab Center after falling off a porch and breaking both arms and some facial bones, but she continues to smile. She wrote in her biography: "Your attitude will generally determine your success -- stay positive!" Thornton was born in Marks, Mississippi. They lived on a farm, where the five children were expected to do chores. Thornton helped in the garden and with the chickens. Her mother let them have fun, but there was a switch waiting if fighting occurred. She truly loved her childhood and wished that things would return to the old ways. In 1975, she married her high school sweetheart at his mother's farm. They had two children. Although he was the "love of her life," the marriage didn't last. She later met another man and had two more children. That relationship lasted about 10 years. Thornton stayed in Mississippi when her four children moved to Kennett, Missouri. They left two grandchildren with her while they found jobs and places to live. She eventually joined them and worked at Casey's, making pizzas for 10 years. She loves her life and her family. A high point is her eight grandchildren. Although Thornton is new to Heartland Care, she has enjoyed making new friends and participating in group events and outings.

Second runner-up Shirley Martin, 83, was born in 1937 in St. Louis, where her father ran a lounge, and her mother was a homemaker. She and her younger brother always had pets, mostly dogs. The family moved a few times before settling in Portageville, Missouri, when she was in grade school. She graduated from Portageville High School, where her favorite subject was grammar. Martin did not like physical education. The river was a favorite spot. At age 17, she met Blaine E. Martin while waterskiing there. The two married a year later in Portageville. They had two children. She worked as a secretary for her husband, who was principal of Portageville High School. The love of the river continued into her married life. They vacationed at the river, where they spent time camping and waterskiing. Holidays were spent with family, where they enjoyed cooking together. She became a resident at Lutheran Home in January. She is content and thinks it's a wonderful place. Martin is very social and has made several new friends. The staff nicknamed her "social director of unit 300" because she likes to encourage other residents to get involved. She especially enjoys spending time with less mobile residents. She checks to see if they need a blanket or a sweater and enjoys sitting with them and holding their hand.