Patricia Persons has had quite a life.

The 64-year-old, originally from Los Angeles, recently was crowned Ms. Senior Arizona. She spent 38 years with Boeing after being a Soul Train dancer in the ‘60s, a Zumba teacher and a hotdog caterer. Now she makes the residents of MorningStar Assisted Living happy as their event coordinator.

“I was at MorningStar one morning making up the ladies,” Persons said. “I was told MorningStar needed an event coordinator. I was at the right place at the right time.”

Persons said the job is the most gratifying work she has ever done.

“We were essential workers,” she said. “We kept the residents safe and sane during the pandemic. It has been a wonderful experience.”

She decided to try out for Ms. Senior Arizona “on a whim.” Browsing on the internet, she found out about the pageant. She said the description of the event made her curious. The pageant required contestants to have a talent, express their philosophy of life and wear a gown.

“And so my journey began,” she told The Times.

She said she really thought about her philosophy of life, wondering what she could say to describe her feelings about her history and background.

“I talked to a philosophy professor who lived at MorningStar,” she said. “He told me that philosophy is something you believe so much you would die for it.”

That took her to a dark place in her life when she was robbed at gunpoint while living in L.A.

“I barricaded myself in my house for a long time after that,” she said. “I was so afraid to go out. But I decided I didn’t want to live that way anymore. My philosophy became to live until I die. And that’s what I have done.”

Persons married late in life and acquired two children as well as a homeless youth.

“I am very happily married,” she said. “And it came after I decided to get on with my life.”

The talent she “performed” was a speech about Bessie Coleman, the first African American pilot and first Native American to hold a pilot’s license. She also was the first Black person to earn an international pilot’s license, according to womenshistory.org.

“I really admire her,” Persons said. “And I was glad to be able to tell people about her at the pageant.”

Next up is the national competition with winners from other states. A date has not been set for that event, but Persons said she’ll be ready to go as soon as they tell her it’s time.

Meanwhile, she will keep planning events at MorningStar and being essential to the residents there.