Social - March 2003

Miss Lincoln County 1997 wins Mrs. N.C.

By DIANE TURBYFILL, LTN Staff Writer

March 21, 2003 - Her shiny, blonde hair sways as she gestures with her hands, speaking enthusiastically about pageantry.

Shannon Cornwell Devine, 28, returned to the pageant circuit Saturday, March 8 after a four-year hiatus and took home the title.

The Lincoln County native was crowned Mrs. North Carolina at the Sheratan Hotel in Charlotte.

“A lot of people speak badly about (pageantry), but I’ve seen it as an avenue for education and community outreach,” Devine says.

The new reigning queen speaks highly of the Mrs. N.C. pageant. She says competing as an older woman has advantages over her earlier competitions.

“As you get older, you just get better.”

Devine says she approached each interview question honestly and stayed true to herself.

Her new title brought a crown and prize package including goods and services — from a photo shoot to cosmetic dentistry. Devine’s favorite prize is a two-week trip to Hawaii for the Mrs. America competition. Many of her friends and family members plan to make the trip with her.

While Devine hopes to win the title of Mrs. America, she plans to enjoy her year as Mrs. North Carolina.

Devine entered her first pageant when she was 15-years-old. She won Teen Miss North Carolina in 1991, Miss Lincoln County in 1997 and Miss Hickory in 1999, when she was also one of the top 10 finalists in the Miss North Carolina pageant.

The Appalachian State University graduate says her entire college education was funded through pageant scholarships.

Devine now lives in Fayetteville at Pope Air Force Base with her husband, Jason, an officer in the Air Force. She travels through the Lincoln County area weekly, working as a sales representative for McNeil Consumer and Specialty Pharmaceuticals, a division of Johnson and Johnson.

Her field holds a certain irony, says Devine.

While serving as Miss Lincoln County, her community service was helping Hospice patients — working to improve patients’ quality of life. She placed emphasis on offering proper medications to minimize pain.

“And now I sell drugs,” she says laughing.

Specifically, Devine sells prescription drugs for psychiatry. She plans to use her year as Mrs. North Carolina to spread the word about mental illness.

“Our mental health and our physical health go hand in hand,” she says.

Devine hopes to speak to groups and students in the area during her reign.

Devine says once her husband is out of the service, she will be in Lincolnton full-time.

“There’s no place like home,” she says.

The Mrs. America Pageant will be held in Hawaii in September. The event will be televised on PAX cable network.

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

Terms and Conditions