STEVEN NEAL PACE

 Steven Neal Pace, age 77, of Havana, FL and formerly of Iron City, GA, passed away Thursday evening, July 11, 2024, at the home of his son in Havana.

 Funeral services for Mr. Pace will be held on Sunday, July 14, 2024, at 3:00 PM at the Chapel of Evans-Skipper Funeral Home in Donalsonville, GA with Rev. James Scarborough officiating. Interment will follow in Corinth Freewill Baptist Church Cemetery with Myles Mosely, Mason Mosely, Brock Miller, Blake Miller, William Bramlett, and Matt Spooner serving as active pallbearers. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the funeral home at 2:00 PM. 

  Neal was born into this world on December 31, 1946 to his wonderful parents Hill and Beaulah Pace. He was raised as an “only child” in Iron City where his parents ran a Tire & Service Station for many years and also raised cattle. His parents were very hard working Christian people that loved Neal very deeply, but had quite a hard time containing his enthusiasm for fast cars and good times with his friends. Neal was full of life as a child and young man. He was affectionately called “Pacey Dick Tracey” by his close friends who would occasionally remind him of the nickname in his later years. He graduated from Seminole County High School in 1965 and attended Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton for two years before starting his work career at Farley Nuclear Plant in Columbia, AL. Neal became a very dedicated employee at the Nuclear Plant and worked his way up to Quality Manager in the twelve years that he was there. In March of 1975, he married the love of his life, Anna Mosely Pace. He, Anna and his step-daughter Beth lived on Lake Seminole and were joined by their son, Wes in January of 1977. Neal enjoyed many years of hunting and fishing with his cousin Bunky Whitaker who ran “Pace’s Fish Camp”. Neal would take Anna, Beth & Wes with him many times to fish on the lake during the years that they lived there. Neal’s father Hill passed away in 1978 and his mother, Beaulah suffered a massive heart attack not many years afterwards. Neal resigned from his job at the Nuclear Plant and moved back to Iron City where he and the family could be closer to his mother. 

 Neal started raising commercial cattle on his family’s land in Iron City and opened a sporting goods store there as well. The store was right behind his mother’s house and beside his parent’s Tire & Service Station that they ran for many years before. Neal started raising show cattle with his family in the mid-80’s, and in October of 1987, his mother Beaulah passed away. Neal was very fortunate to have wonderful in-laws. Bill & Jean Mosely were the nucleus of a wonderful family that Neal loved dearly. He spent many years watching all of the children in the family grow up and mature over time. He always looked forward to seeing his nephews and nieces, Myles, Mason & Mandi with their dad Ed who was the life of every get-together. The most popular family story that Neal was very fond of was a hunting trip that Mr. Bill arranged for he, his brother in law, Ed and Roy Pearce in Catulla, TX. The story was shared many times over the years. There were regular family gatherings at Bill & Jean’s home for lunch and dinner, usually on Thursdays & Sundays. Neal loved to be with family there and made many wonderful memories. 

  Neal loved his wife Anna beyond measure. They had a marriage that was truly filled with love, but her early departure from this life left him heartbroken. Anna passed away from Leukemia at the age of 44 in December 1996, and Neal struggled with her death for the rest of his life. There were certainly gifts from God that helped Neal’s spirit along the way. Beth’s children Blake, Brock & Maddox Miller provided a blanket of happiness for him. On March 15 2004, Neal’s grandson Will was born. Will became Neal’s whole world. He loved every minute that he was able to spend with his grandson. In October of 2018, Hurricane Michael forced Neal to sell all of his cattle. Unfortunately, the devastation of the storm caused Neal’s anxiety to escalate, and he later suffered from dementia. Neal’s condition progressed and led to his physical disability and inability to talk, but he still managed to smile when told things about his family. His most emotional moments were watching a video of his grandson Will graduate as Valedictorian of his high school class, and being told that Will was attending the University of Georgia. 

 On February 11 of this year, Neal’s son Wes and daughter in law Angela brought Neal home from memory care to live with them. Angela quit her job as a dental hygienist to care for Neal full-time at home while Wes was at work. Neal was able to attend Wes & Angela’s wedding where he was also greeted by many of his friends. He was able to spend five full months with them as a family where he was loved and cared for every single day. Neal would smile warmly when seeing and listening to Angela’s children Alek & Tucker. They were a major part of his happiness there at home. Angela formed a strong bond with her father-in law over these past five months. She cared for him almost every single moment she was awake, and he loved her dearly as evidenced by the frequent smiles while he watched her take care of him. Rod Thornton, Neal’s former caretaker at Magnolia Place in Cairo, was a true blessing to Neal and his family as he came every other weekend and on other occasions to care for Neal during the last five months. 

 Neal did not attend church regularly throughout his life, but had a personal relationship with the Lord. He prayed to God, and accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He loved playing gospel music sang by Elvis and BJ Thomas on Sunday mornings while at home. He was a man of his word, and expected the same from others. His favorite sayings were “Success comes before work only in the dictionary”, and “What goes around comes back around twice as hard”. He loved his family dearly, and believed that there were few true friends in life. He was blessed to have good friends. If he could speak in front of you today, he would probably say “I’d like to stand here and talk, but the weather is clear and I’ve got work to do”. His work here is done, and his new life in Heaven has already begun. 

  He leaves to cherish his memory, his son, Wes Pace and wife Angela of Havana, FL; his daughter, Beth Miller and husband Stacy of Jakin, GA; his grandchildren, Will Pace of Athens, GA, Alek Bednarek of Havana, FL, Tucker Bass of Havana, FL, Blake Miller and Aaron of Jakin, GA, Brock Miller of Jakin, GA, and Maddox Miller of Jakin, GA; as well as a great granddaughter, Mia Miller of Jakin,GA.

  Mr. Pace was preceded in death by his parents, Hill Wesley Pace and Beulah Griffin Pace; his wife, Anna Mosely Pace; and his infant brother, Hill Wesley Pace, Jr.