Hall of Fame
Patricia Waldrup served as cheerleader sponsor for 22 years at Jones, beginning in 1972.
In 1974-75, basketball cheerleaders were added to the mix. The squad won the All-Girls division at the National Cheerleader Camp in Knoxville, Tenn., in 1983.
In 1985-86, males were added to the cheerleading squad. In 1986-87, the JCJC cheerleaders went to NCA Nationals and had to compete against four-year squads in Division II and came in sixth place. They also won Division II competition at college camp.
Junior college divisions were later added and a Mississippi junior college squad never beat the JCJC cheerleaders. They only lost to one junior college squad on the national level and they were from Texas.
JCJC was the first junior college squad to be invited to attend national competition. At summer camps, JCJC won first place every year except one.
During her years as cheerleader coach, Waldrup had numerous youngsters to go on and cheer at senior colleges. This includes ten at Southern Miss, seven at Mississippi State, six at Mississippi College, three at Ole Miss, one at LSU and one mascot each at Southern Miss, Ole Miss and Mississippi State.
Waldrup began the highly popular summer cheerleading camps at JCJC.
The cheerleaders were also highly involved in campus activities under the guidance of Waldrup. There were seven Miss JCJCs, three Mr. JCJC’s, 15 beauties and a host of class favorites among the cheerleaders. The squad members’ grade point averages generally stayed around 3.0, seven members were in the Hall of Fame and many made Who’s Who.
She has been a member of First Baptist Church of Ellisville for 39 years, where she has performed numerous duties. She represented Jones County as Outstanding Young Woman and won the state title of Outstanding Young Woman in Mississippi.
Pat is married to Tim Waldrup and they have a daughter, Missies Meeks, and her husband, Bobby; and two grandsons, Caleb and Dylan.
