Includes video report
PHOENIX, AZ — Playing Powerball tonight? You may want to hear what a Phoenix woman has to say — she won Arizona's biggest Powerball jackpot nearly 20 years ago.
On March 4th, 1995, part time secretary Shirley Pence stopped by a 7/11 store near 24th Avenue and Greenway in Phoenix to buy a Powerball quick pick ticket. Turned out she had a winner.
"Oh we just grabbed each other and held each other," she said. "And I cried and shook."
Don, a self employed house painter, and his wife Shirley, lived a modest life in North Phoenix 17 years ago.
Their daughter and grandson were at the news conference to celebrate.
The Powerball lottery hit Arizona in 1994 and the Pence's hit the Powerball a year later.
The Pence's little ticket led to a big check that changed their lives to the tune of $102 Million.
Both in their mid 50's, the Pence's immediately retired, and were stunned at what happened following this news conference in Phoenix.
Shirley Pence said, "We'd wake up in the morning and we'd have gifts on the front porch, flowers, alarm clocks, just all kinds of things. It just got ridiculous. So we got out of town for a while."
Shirley talked to us from the couple's home in Florida. They spend half their time in Arizona in their home North of the valley.
Looking back 17 years to the blur of winning Powerball, Pence says it was a blessing but for a while she says it was also depressing.
"A lot of people wanted money," she said. "We had one situation where they threatened to kidnap our grandson and our dog. I mean it was like okay people give me a break, this is ridiculous."
There was another surprise for the couple, when they discovered the only thing they had in common with rich people was their bank accounts. Shirley said she found the rich to be kind of annoying. She said, "A lot of them are just, they take everything for granted. They don't say thank-you they don't clean up after themselves. It just irritates me."
Every once in a while Shirley said she'll buy a lottery ticket just for the heck of it. But when we asked her why most big jackpot winners seem to come from Southern states or states in the Midwest, she said, "I don't know." Adding, "If there are more people in the states that have won, that's the only thing I can think of. It's just more people who buy tickets."
So, we took our question to the source, the Arizona Lottery. And we asked, why does it seem that Arizonans don't hit huge lottery jackpots?
Karen Bach said it's not true, that Arizona has had 10 big winners. She said, "Those jackpots ranged in prize value from just over $5 million to $102 million."
But the number of jackpot winners doing news conferences, and getting the big check for all to see, has dwindled. Many jackpot winners these days want to remain anonymous.
Though a teacher from Fort Mohave did step up to publicly claim her $95 million jackpot in December 2010.
Bach says Powerball winners in Arizona have collected over half a billion dollars in winnings from $10,000 on up since 1994. She says, "It's so much more than just the jackpot because there's other people winning $10,000, $100,000 or $1 million so it's not just all about the jackpot. There's so much more money to be spread around."
Don and Shirley Pence were in their 50's when they hit the big Powerball jackpot. They chose the annuity, taking $3.5 million dollars every year for 20 years.
In three years the lottery checks will stop coming, but the Pence's are set financially. They've also given generously to charity, including animal causes in Yavapai County, and to Big Brothers and Big Sisters.
Now they are counting their blessings in Florida and Arizona. "We got the best of both worlds," Shirley said. "We are really blessed."
VIDEO: Watch the news report
Thanks to lottoball for the tip.
What a nice story!
Nice story, and 17 years later they have something to show for it!
For some reason i think this was one of the smart moves for getting the annuity..
honestly I've been flip-flopping over which would bring less grief and most enjoyment
From the OP:
"A lot of people wanted money," she said. "We had one situation where they threatened to kidnap our grandson and our dog. I mean it was like okay people give me a break, this is ridiculous."
There was another surprise for the couple, when they discovered the only thing they had in common with rich people was their bank accounts. Shirley said she found the rich to be kind of annoying. She said, "A lot of them are just, they take everything for granted. They don't say thank-you they don't clean up after themselves. It just irritates me."
And those who INHERITED their wealth should be viewed the same way then...
lovely. just lovely! they won together, have stayed together, have not squandered all their money, and are loving their life recognizing that they have been blessed. lovely.
It takes a special kind of lowlife to threaten to kidnap a man's dog.
Nice story indeed....
lol why send alarm clocks to lottery winners
What a lovely couple.
What a lucky couple.
What a lucky,lovely couple.
A perfect reason why all states should allow you to remain anonymous. Threats of violence and kidnapping.
Glad everything worked out for them and that they have been able to stay together.
Yea, seems like an alarm system would be more apropriate.
The Spence's are an inspiration to all of us who play the lottery.It's all about a dollar and a dream.Those alarm clock gifts were for target practice only, to remind them of those days when they had to go to work.
my brother beat my dog and i told him,"I know one thing about my dog. i like her. i like her more than i like you." he has never hurt my dog again.
If my brother beat my dogs, he would wind up feeling just like the dogs,
scared and hurt.
I don't like me no alarm clocks, no sir.
It is a blessing to win and to be able to sustain the wealth over a long period of time. To each of us who eventually win the jackpot, I pray the same blessings.
Actually, taking the "annuity" was the only PB Jackpot option way back then!
I'm glad these folks are still able to enjoy their big bank accounts! I want my own big jackpot win!.
Right!
When the "Bunky" won his 80+ million dollar jackpot in Maryland, someone placed a hugh Safe on his front lawn.
How someone did that without being seen or noticed was puzzling.
And I couldn't understand what that message was.
It seem to me they would have been more worry about the kidnapping of the grandchild,then a dog. you can get another dog.
Good news for a change,happy ending.
If you've had a dog for a few years, you can become very attached and concerned for their well being. Replacing the dog is not like just
getting another toaster. No disrespect for the grandchildren, just pointing out that there exists a close emotional bond, between people and
their beloved animals.
Its palms up when someone wins big like that. Glad they still enjoy their money. Happy ending!
It could be a cleaver promotion for a real estate agent: "Attention, now is a good time to sell."
Litebets27, this cleaver message/meaning was probably: "We don't have much money, valuable documents, and jewels to require need of this big safe, since you will we're giving it to you!"
THAT is the only advantage in getting the annuity. If you go crazy the first year or so (buying houses, Lamborghini sports cars in triplicate to fill your 3-garage homes, jewelry, with hangers-on asking for money), then you still have time to come to your senses. You run out of money Year1, Year 2, by Year 3 you start getting smart. They were getting $3.5 million per year for 20 years. Nowadays the annuites are like 25 - 30 years.
The drawback nowadays about annuities, of course, if the political talk about higher TAXES on the "rich". You don't know what they tax rate will be 5 or 10 years from now -- could be 50% or higher on "millionaires".
I used to think it would be smarter to take the annuity, just so you can't go too crazy and spend it all. But now I might take the cash.
Jackpot winners face the prospect of having a huge portion of their winnings confiscated by the government in taxes depending on the outcome of the upcoming Presidential Election.
Because if you win, you automatically become one of the evil, hated "rich people".
We all need to keep that in mind when we vote.
Will it be all yours or will the government be "entitled" to take 75% of it off the top?
criminy... i thought it was only going to be 70%...
ok... correct me if i am wrong... but tax law is passed in October for the CURRENT year... so you could - potentially - win now and then end up owing your 70-odd % in taxes retroactively this year...
that would really be a new variety of ugly.
Yep, politicians love that word - retroactive.
Most Politicians have no real world skills hence the entitlements given to them by our beloved government.
If our current administation has it's way the top Federal tax rate would 91% which was in effect from 1945-1963...and that was a reduction from 94% which was in place during President FDR's final years.
Holy Moly, I didn't know that.
"6 cents for you, 94 cents for me" ~Uncle Sam
Yeah, I think they'd like that real good.
I see much hasn't changed in 17 years with demands from winners except even more people(slugs) with their hands out towards today's winners.
<big sigh> oh well, I will be leaving the state permanently about 2 weeks before I head up to collect the big check. 
Oh goody, the tax man paranoia is back. Criminy, I could set my watch to this babble.
No tax rate in the United States of America will EVER reach WWII levels. Heck, I'll eat my hat if it ever gets back to 50%, which it was during your beloved President Reagan's first term.
Seriously, folks, get a grip.
I can understand why exorbitant tax rates don't bother you a bit, mediabratwurst.
Being a Slushee Slinger at the 7-11 and firmly entrenched in the bottom 47% of wage earners who pay zero taxes, you have absolutely nothing to worry about.
Your rage for the rich comes from a sense of inferiority and jealousy.
But you have no skin in the game so it really doesn't matter what you think.
You assume many things. As usual, you assume incorrectly.
If it matters at all, I ended up owing both the feds and the state on this year's tax return. And I already told you you're wrong about what I do for a living, but you never let facts get in the way of a good drunken sneer-fest.
Speaking of facts, the top tax bracket encompasses about the top 10% of earners. I highly doubt you're a part of that.
Why Do People Pay No Federal Income Tax?
"Commentators have often misinterpreted that percentage as indicating that nearly half of Americans pay no taxes. In fact, however, many of those who don’t pay income tax do pay other taxes—federal payroll and excise taxes as well as state and local income, sales, and property taxes."
"For example, a couple with two children earning less than $26,400 will pay no federal income tax this year because their $11,600 standard deduction and four exemptions of $3,700 each reduce their taxable income to zero. The basic structure of the income tax simply exempts subsistence levels of income from tax."
Ooooh, yeah, all those evil people who unfortunately struggle just to get by despite their hard work. Yeah, they're the ones who are the problem. A-yup.
Did you throw in a few thousand extra on your taxes for the government to "invest" for you?
You know, I never understood you people who love high taxes - why you don't contribute more voluntarily.
There's no law against it, you know. You can give as much as you want.
Give 'em an extra few thousand and watch it disappear in seconds on interest for the money we borrowed from the Chinese to send some anxious Democrat men over to Zimbabwe to "study" how Zimbabwean men wash their genitals.
Oh, I forgot, silly me, you just love high taxes for other people, not you.
I thought that was some bank or "wealth management" group?
Unless you take out loans against the annuity or sell it like some fools have done which then usually follows with their getting into tax problems. Neither way is exactly safe really.
Excellent point DC. It's the old adage, a fool and his money are soon parted.
Smart Move! I love this story" needs more people in the world like them"
the public tend to go for the sensational Jackpot, like the half a billion a couple of months ago. truth is, the 2nd and 3rd prices are just as good.... instead thinking that one shot of Jackpot, think multple wins of the smaller prices. I read this guy in Tucson won 5 Pick 5 in one year.
"They don't clean up after themselves."
There are a lot things I'm not a fan of and cleaning up is one of them. Cooking too. I'm not a good cook. Having some help would be nice. I'm always happy to read positive lottery stories. I know some would say age was on their side, but there have many older winners who lost their freaking' minds too. 17 years later these folks are still going strong.
Why send or give anything to a jackpot winner. They have more than enough money to buy these items themselves.
I agree. All states should let you remain anonymous if you want. Illinois doesn't though. More people would possibly buy tickets if they knew they could remain anonymous if they won.
LOL - They left their "big piggy bank" on the lawn for the jackpot winner to fill up for them. They'd come back later to get it.