St. John s resident crowned 2026 Arkansas Senior Queen, with granddaughter cheering on

FORDYCE, Ark. (KATV) — There was a little extra sparkle in Fordyce last week when Linda Gerard, a resident at St. John’s Place of Arkansas, was crowned the 2026 Arkansas Healthcare Association State Senior Queen. Gerard said the moment felt “great,” adding, “It does. It feels good. It sure does.” She said she first got involved “for the kids,” but then found herself enjoying it more and more. A big part of the experience was having family close by as she took the stage in her evening gown. “Oh my good, my heart just pounded,” Gerard said. She said her grandson walked with her, which “meant a lot,” and while two family members in Texas couldn’t attend in person, “they were watching, so that meant a lot.” Helping her along the way was her administrator, Ashley Taylor, who is also her granddaughter. Ashley said getting Gerard ready was “definitely a joint effort,” and credited the staff at St. John’s Place. “The team at St. John’s Place handled everything,” she said, adding that two supporters who helped were also there. Gerard made it clear she feels right at home at the facility. “There is no place like home. I mean, really, St. Joe’s is my home,” she said, adding that residents stay busy with activities. And yes, she said, they stay well-fed, too. “You would not believe what all we eat every day,” Gerard said. “They fix us breakfast, lunch, and supper, and snacks in between. If you get hungry, you just go to the kitchen telling I’m hungry.” Gerard, who said she’s “been an old nurse for 100 years,” also had a message for anyone wondering about the level of care their loved ones receive. “Oh, listen, they better be cared for because this eye never shuts,” she said, adding that she watches out for people who “can’t do for themselves.” Asked what she did during her time as senior state queen, Gerard kept it simple and playful: “I was just showed my tail out.” She added, “No, I just go, go, and more going,” and said she mainly tried to enjoy it. Ashley said the busy schedule caught up with her grandmother afterward. When Gerald returned to the facility, Ashley said, “She was asleep, and they said she had been asleep for at least 12 hours.” Gerard agreed she was worn out: “I was. I’m still a little bit out there,” she said, adding that it takes time to recover “especially when you’re 80-something year old.” For others in their 80s who might be thinking about jumping into something new, Gerard offered encouragement: “Yeah, yes. All they gotta do is get with the facility. If they want to do it, go for it. Go for it.” Gerard also recalled attending an event in Little Rock, where she said there were “a lot of lovely ladies” who supported her after she won. She said family traveled in for the occasion, including a nephew from Hot Springs and relatives from out of state. “It was very enjoyable,” she said. As for celebrating the win, Gerard delivered one of the day’s most memorable lines: “I didn’t get drunk.” Back at St. John’s Place, Ashley said a group was watching together. “We have a team back home right now watching in our TV room at St. John’s,” she said. Gerard had a heartfelt message for the people who supported her along the way: “They know every one of them knows I love them,” she said. “They are the most wonderful people that you could ever imagine.” Ashley added that at St. John’s Place, “I don’t think there’s a person at St. John’s, that does not call her nanny.”