Donald Wayne Pace, 76
Published 8:56 am Monday, October 3, 2016
Donald Wayne Pace, 76, husband of Betty Barger Pace, passed away on Monday, September 26, 2016.
He spent 55 years doing everything possible to ensure a better education for the girls and boys of Kentucky.
Mr. Pace was a devoted father to Donna Gail Melton, Donald Pace Jr. (Shey) and Chris Pace (Shannon); and a loving brother to Arthur Grant (AG) Pace.
The true passion of his life had become his grandchildren Patrick and Matthew Melton, and Ella, Will, Logan and Jack Pace. His greatest joy came from attending their sports events. He never missed a school program, graduation, or a birthday celebration.
Mr. Pace was born in Harlan on February 20, 1940, to the late Ulysses Grant and Mary Wesley Pace. He is also survived by his aunt Anna Faye Bartle and several nieces, nephews and cousins. He began teaching in 1958 at the age of 18 in Harlan County. In 1961-1965, he taught and coached basketball at Liberty Union Junior High School in Butler County, Ohio. He returned to Kentucky in 1965 to serve as principal of Walton-Verona Elementary School and Assistant Principal at Walton-Verona High School.
Mr. Pace was currently serving as superintendent of Lewis County Schools and had previously served superintendencies in Montgomery, Mason, and Campbell counties. Most of his education career included service to Clark County Schools where he was superintendent 1984-1999; Conkwright Junior High principal 1969-1984; principal at Belmont Junior High in 1968, and principal at Fannie Bush Elementary in 1967.
Family will receive friends from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 1, 2016, at Conkwright Elementary School, 360 Mt. Sterling Road, in Winchester. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 2 p.m., with Pastor Lee Cruse officiating. Former students, teachers, principals, colleagues, and friends are asked to join the family in celebrating his life.
Pallbearers will be Don Burgess, John Gaines, Lee Taylor, Bob Berryman, Robert Lee, Joe Jones, Carl Hensley, Jackie McCloud, Bill Neismith, John Graybill, Joel Terry, Andrew Pace, JC Burton, Shane Burton, Jeff Burton and Von Barger.
Honorary pallbearers will be Clark County Retired School Administrators, 1984-1999 Clark County Board of Education Members; Clark County Schools Central Office Staff; 1969-1984 staff of Conkwright Junior High School; current members of Kentucky Retired Teachers Executive and Insurance Committees; current members of the Kentucky Schools Facility Commission; Winchester Kiwanis Club members, and Right Angle Masonic Lodge 233 members.
The Donald Pace Youth Scholarship has been established in his honor at Kentucky Bank, 24 West Lexington Ave., Winchester.
