When the time comes to bid this life farewell, we should find comfort in knowing that a loving God will be there with us to guide us to our new home.

https://my.gather.app/remember/ann-pace-2026 

We rejoice in the name of the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ, as we announce the homegoing of our beloved mother, Lena Ann Russell Pace (Ann R. Pace), on June 27, 2026, at her home in Silver Spring, Maryland. Born on May 13, 1944, in Louisa, Virginia, to the late Viola and Robert Russell, Ann was a beacon of love, strength, and resilience. She dedicated her life to service, family, faith, and the pursuit of knowledge.

Ann joined Shady Grove Baptist Church at an early age and was a faithful servant of God. She served as a Sunday School teacher, deaconess, choir member, and member of the Eastern Star. She was a watch care member at various churches including County Line Baptist Church, North Gayton Baptist Church, and Georgia Avenue Baptist Church in Silver Spring, Maryland. Later in life, she joined Ebenezer Baptist Church in Mineral, Virginia.

Her favorite scripture was Psalm 23, a passage that emphasizes God's abiding presence in our lives and His protection throughout our earthly journey.

Upon graduating as valedictorian of the A. G. Richardson High School Class of 1962, Ann embraced the responsibilities of being a full-time employee, part-time college student, devoted wife, and a loving mother. She earned an Associate Degree in Business, graduating with honors from J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College in 1979. Ann later began a distinguished career with the U.S. Defense General Supply Center at Bellwood and joined the Toastmasters Club to advance her professional development. She was employed with the United States Department of the Treasury in Washington, D.C., where she served as administrative support staff for the tax publication division until her retirement in 1999.

Ann was an enthusiastic advocate for mental health awareness and volunteered as a crisis hotline counselor, offering hope and compassion to individuals in crisis. She had a remarkable gift for finding the positivity in everyone. Ann had a special way of making everyone feel loved and supported. Everyone welcomed her warm smile and soft-spoken voice, finding comfort in shared laughter over common life experiences.

Ann found joy in life’s simple pleasures: gathering with family, dining out, drawing, sewing, crocheting, playing the guitar, listening to music, dancing, watching movies, reading books (especially romantic novels), and calling loved ones to wish them a happy birthday. She was a devoted fan of the daytime television dramas: The Young and the Restless, Judge Judy and The Parkers.

Ann is survived by her devoted children, Haywood Pace, Jr., Oliver Pace, and Patricia Pace; her beloved granddaughter, Victoria Pace; her loving sisters, Carol Rivers, Claudia Banks, Gloria Hardy (Curtis), and Joyce Russell; her brothers, John Russell, Charles Russell, and Roger Russell; her loving aunt, Eva Anthony; her sister-in- law, Dee Russell, brother in-law Sydney Richardson; her devoted niece, Brenda Albritton and a host of nieces, nephews, extended family members, friends and two cherished pets; Zesus and Daisy.

Ann was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Viola Russell, and her siblings, Robert Lawrence Russell, Jr., Rev. Mary Jackson, Monroe Russell, Bobby Russell, Delores Richardson, and Shirley Russell.

May these shared experiences serve as a testament to Ann's enduring spirit. Through our collective remembrances, may we keep Ann's legacy alive by continuing to support those in need and extending compassion to others.

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." — Psalm 23:1

To the Pace family, we at D. D. Watson offer our most sincere sympathy and condolences. Our prayer continues to be that your abiding faith in God will lend to you a measure of comfort that will strengthen and sustain you during your time of sorrow.

It is during such times as these that we draw upon our faith, stand upon our scriptures, and rely upon our God. There is no question that in this and through this, God will keep you, comfort you, and sustain you. You and your family are forever in our prayers.