The woman crowned Miss Crowne Health Care in May has passed away, said Sandra Medley, the facility’s director of social services and coordinator of the pageant. Kathryn Smith, who won the pageant on May 21, died on May 27, said Medley.

“As a resident at our facility, she became a part of our family, as do all of our residents,” said Medley. “We would like to thank her family for sharing this special lady with us. What a wonderful blessing to have known Ms. Smith, she will be greatly missed, and we will always treasure the time we had with her.”

Medley recalled how excited Smith was to have won the pageant.

“She said, ‘I have never done anything like this before, I can’t believe it!'” said Smith.

Smith said nominations for Miss Crowne Health Care were held the first of May and the five residents with the most nominations were voted on.

“We are always excited this time of year when we have our Miss Crowne Health Care ceremony, because the residents, staff and family members have an input on who is chosen to represent Crowne and who better to chose the person they believe would be a great representative of Crowne.”

Selected as members of the queen’s court were: first runner-up, Merle Elliott; second runner-up, Barbara Lynn; third runner-up, Ms. Pansy Sawyer; and fourth runner-up, Inez Rabren.

Elliott will take Smith’s place, joining other winners from nursing facilities across the state in Birmingham Alabama on Aug. 3 to compete for the statewide title of Miss Alabama Nursing Home 2009.