Dalton: Ink still in his veins at 94

DALTON, Ga. — As a journalist, Mark Pace once embroiled himself in an investigation of communism. Nowadays he’s writing about topics just as shocking.

Mr. Pace was editor of Dalton’s daily newspaper for 37 years until 1982 when he joined North Georgia Electric Membership Corp. to work in public relations and a pen a history for the organization.

At 94, Mr. Pace still goes to work every day at North Georgia Electric and now is working on a new 75th anniversary book for the electricity provider.

“Mark is the youngest old person I’ve ever known,” said Ron Hutchins, president and CEO of NGEMC. “When speaking to school groups that come to tour our facility, Mark tells students that his secret to a fruitful life is to never stop learning. And he hasn’t stopped learning.”

Mr. Hutchins said his oldest employee still masters new computer programs and publishing techniques all the time.

Even though Mr. Pace enjoys his latest line of work, he said he still misses his newspaper days and chasing the big story.

“Newspaper writing is in your blood. You’ll always miss it,” he said.

Among the big stories of his career was a controversial Dalton minister and labor rights activist who was behind the labor publication “The Southerner.”

Both the FBI and GBI linked the activist, Don West, to communist activities during the late 1940s and 1950s Cold War, when the hunt for Red party members was at a fever pitch. The GBI and the FBI recruited Mr. Pace to help in their investigations of Mr. West.

He said he doesn’t much like to talk about that time — there are still hard feelings lingering around town from that controversial period.

But James L. Lorence, author of a “Hard Journey” about the life of Don West, writes that Mr. Pace was a “dynamic young journalist” and a key figure in exposing Mr. West’s background.

Despite the emotional scars he collected as a journalist, Mr. Pace’s co-workers say he is a tender and caring man.

Laura Sparks, director of marketing and communications for North Georgia Electric, said Mr. Pace often buys break-room sodas for his co-workers and visits them or others when they are sick.

And Mr. Pace is active in the community, such as raising awareness about Alzheimer’s, a disease that claimed his wife’s life in 2007.

“He exudes energy, enthusiasm and sheer love of life that he absorbs from others,” Ms. Sparks said. “Whether it’s a room, a situation, an organization, or someone’s attitude, he always leaves it better than he found it.”