Christmas Star coincides with Pickens native’s 106th birthday

A 106-year-old Pickens native, Ercel Pace, described by staff as “small but mighty,” celebrated her 106th birthday on Monday, Dec. 21, at Easley Place Senior Living. Pace was born and raised in Pickens. From the Spanish flu, through both world wars and most recently the COVID-19 pandemic, she has witnessed her fair share of events over the last 106 years. Pace has been a resident at Easley Place since 2019, and in her spare time enjoys trying different types of chocolates. Her 106th birthday was made even more special by way of a rare planetary phenomenon that only happens every 800 years — Saturn and Jupiter aligning to create the “great conjunction,” more commonly known as the Christmas Star of 2020.