REFLECTIONS OF INNER BEAUTY: MS. SENIOR AMERICA, DEEANNE MEECE

by Mary Frances Hansen

Mirror, Mirror on the wall who is the fairest of them all?? None other than our “shinning star,” who is a former Ms. Texas Senior America 2025, and now is the reigning Ms. Senior America 20266, DeeAnne Meece. What a privilege to interview such a talented and outstanding lady who touches many lives with her charm and abounding love for others. DeeAnne exemplifies the “positive image of aging” and her goal is to enrich and empower the lives of senior women promoting them in all their glory.

DeeAnne is an amazing and a very talented lady whose “inner beauty” and her faith radiate her love for others and inspires many people. She knows who she is and is capable of anything she puts her mind to. There is beauty in her strength and determination. She is a woman of perseverance and is not thrown off by obstacles along the way. Her beauty comes from the confidence that comes from her experiences that when she falls.... She knows how to pick herself up and move on!

DeeAnne and her husband, Michael, reside in Dallas and have been married 56 years. They have two sons, David and Matthew, two precious daughters- in- law, five granddaughters, and one grandson. They are a very close-knit family and exude many talents. Her husband, Michael, is a Theatrical Producer and Director. Together they own a theater in the historic district of Savannah, Georgia, and their son, Matthew and his wife, manages and performs in the theater. They have produced live family entertainment shows for 25years. Currently DeeAnne runs a successful Interior Design and Remodel Business in the metroplex. She is also the Artistic Director as well as Stage Director for Spectacular Follies, a unique Texas theatrical entertainment production featuring performers ages 55 and older.

When DeeAnne was young she ran track and was quite fast. One day her mother was at a track meet and said, “Honey I'm so proud of you but Daddy and I noticed as you approach the finish line you began to slow down. You must never slow down at the finish line. In fact, you must run past the finish line so you will always accomplish more than you set out to achieve.” As a grandmother she passed this encouraging information on to her grandchildren.

She has used this philosophy all her life and feels this is definitely not the time to slow down and realizes the importance of staying active. Running past the finish line symbolizes the pursuit of continuous growth and achievement. She feels by pushing ourselves just a bit further, we not only discover new passions and strengths, but we also inspire others to do the same. Moving beyond the finish line represents our commitment to self-improvement and the excitement of what lies ahead. DeeAnne says....” Keep running, and dreaming, because the finish line is just the beginning of new adventures, especially for seniors.”

For several years Dr. Syntha West, who is the Contestant Coordinator for the Ms. Texas Senior America

Pageant tried to recruit DeeAnne to enter the pageant. She just wasn't interested in entering a pageant. Well....the “power of five granddaughters,” can change anything. They encouraged her to enter and reminded her of what her mother had always told her about the finish line and DeeAnne passed it on to the granddaughters. They said “Dee-Dee, you have to enter this one because you don't have many finish lines left in your life!” DeeAnne said, “While the reality of what they said was a bit hard to swallow, I knew they were right.” She chose in November 2025 to enter the pageant and won Ms. Texas Senior America. During her reign she performed at 40 senior events and sang the Star-Spangled Banner 56 times throughout the metroplex in city meetings and sporting events. She really encourages senior women to enter the Ms. Texas Senior America Pageant. You can contact Contestant Coordinator, Dr. Syntha West, at 817 -349- 0284 or drsynthawest@yahoo.com

DeeAnne went to Atlantic City in October 2025 to represent Texas in the Ms. Senior America Pageant. She captivated the audience and the judges with her charm, stage presentation, and talent and won the title of Ms. Senior America 2026. She is looking forward to her new adventures that await her as Ms. Senior America. Dee Anne considers her greatest accomplishment is in being the mother to her two grown sons and grandmother to six precious grandchildren.