Mrs. America Pageant honors married women throughout the United States of America

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. Each of the 51 contestants (from 50 states and DC), ranging in age from the 20s to 50s, earns the right to participate in the national event by winning her state competition. These state events are under the direction of Mrs. America state directors. Since 2009, the winner has gone on to compete in the Mrs. World

Mrs. World

Mrs. World is an international beauty pageant organized annually as a beauty contest for married women. It is originally based on the Mrs. America beauty pageant. Arranged on lines similar to other beauty pageants, it also lays stress on women's opinion on marriage...

 pageant.

Mrs. America, Inc. celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2011. The pageant has been televised on networks including PAX and WE (Women's Entertainment); in May 2011, it was carried by the My Family TV

My Family TV

My Family TV is a United States general entertainment television network jointly owned by ValCom and Luken Communications, and based in Chattanooga, Tennessee.-History:...

 network.

The current titleholder for 2011-12 is April Lufriu of Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

.

Events

2004: Traci Clemens, Mrs. Rhode Island

Rhode Island

The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...

, competed while six months pregnant with twins. She was the first visibly-pregnant woman to compete in the nationally-televised event.

Titleholders

Year	Name	State	Notes
1977	Ruth Johnson	California
1978	Cindy Roberts	Alaska
1979	Carrie Gabriel Strom	New Jersey
1980	Carol Anne McEwen	Texas
1981	Paddy Boyd Argovitz	Louisiana
1982	Rhonda McGeeney	Texas
1983	Susan Goodman	Tennessee
1984	Deborah Wolfe	West Virginia	1st runner up to Mrs. World; Mother of Miss West Virginia Teen USA Miss West Virginia Teen USA The Miss West Virginia Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of West Virginia in the Miss Teen USA pageant.The current titleholder is Miss Susan Hines King of Fairmont, West Virginia....  2004- Mary Ellen Wolfe
1985	Donna Russell	Mississippi
1986	Cynthia Amann	Florida
1987	Pamela Nail	Mississippi	Went on to win Mrs. World
1988	Suzy Kats	California	Was also the 1st runner-up to Pamela Nail in 1987
1989	Jennifer Kline	Minnesota	2nd runner-up at Mrs. World Mrs. World Mrs. World is an international beauty pageant organized annually as a beauty contest for married women. It is originally based on the Mrs. America beauty pageant. Arranged on lines similar to other beauty pageants, it also lays stress on women's opinion on marriage...
1990	Jennifer Johnson	Oklahoma
1991	Kristianna Nichols	Indiana
1992	Dr. Doris Martineaux Dalton	Pennsylvania
1993	Keyna Baucom	North Carolina
1994	Wendy Lewis	Texas
1995	Kimberly Brasher	Oklahoma	Went on to be 1st runner-up at Mrs. World Mrs. World Mrs. World is an international beauty pageant organized annually as a beauty contest for married women. It is originally based on the Mrs. America beauty pageant. Arranged on lines similar to other beauty pageants, it also lays stress on women's opinion on marriage... . Former Ms. Idaho
1996	Cynthia Pensiero	Ohio
1997	Lisa Lilenthal	New York
1998	Renee Cairns	Florida
1999	Starla Stanley	Utah	Went on to win Mrs. World Mrs. World Mrs. World is an international beauty pageant organized annually as a beauty contest for married women. It is originally based on the Mrs. America beauty pageant. Arranged on lines similar to other beauty pageants, it also lays stress on women's opinion on marriage...   2000
1999	Stacy Willis	Alabama	Originally 1st runner-up, ascended to title when Starla Stanley won Mrs. World
2000	Leslie Lam	Hawaii
2001	Nicole Brink	Indiana	Went on to win Mrs. World Mrs. World Mrs. World is an international beauty pageant organized annually as a beauty contest for married women. It is originally based on the Mrs. America beauty pageant. Arranged on lines similar to other beauty pageants, it also lays stress on women's opinion on marriage...   2002, Previously Miss Indiana Teen USA Miss Indiana Teen USA The Miss Indiana Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Indiana in the Miss Teen USA pageant. This pageant is directed by Sanders and Associates....  1992 (semifinalist in Miss Teen USA 1992 Miss Teen USA 1992 Miss Teen USA 1992, the tenth Miss Teen USA pageant, was televised live from the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi on 25 August 1992.... ) and Miss Indiana USA Miss Indiana USA The Miss Indiana USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Indiana in the Miss USA pageant.Nine Miss Indiana USA winners previously competed at Miss Teen USA. The state currently holds the record for the most Miss Teen USA state winners to win a Miss USA...  1998 under her maiden name, Nicole Llewellyn.
2002	Laurett Ellsworth Arenz	Virginia	web page at herostrategies.com
2003	Kristi Phillips	Alabama
2004	Heidi Dinan	Missouri
2005	Julie Love-Templeton	Alabama
2006	Andrea Pruess	California	Previously Miss Virginia Teen USA Miss Virginia Teen USA The Miss Virginia Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Virginia in the Miss Teen USA pageant....  1992 & Miss Virginia Miss Virginia The Miss Virginia competition is a scholarship pageant for women, with the titleholder representing Virginia in the Miss America pageant. The competition was founded in 1953 as a scholarship contest for young women, although women had represented Virginia in the Miss America pageant since the 1930s...  1995 (dethroned) under her maiden name, Andrea Ballengee.
2007	Diane Tucker	Arizona	Went on to win Mrs. World Mrs. World Mrs. World is an international beauty pageant organized annually as a beauty contest for married women. It is originally based on the Mrs. America beauty pageant. Arranged on lines similar to other beauty pageants, it also lays stress on women's opinion on marriage...   2007
2007	Marney Duckworth	Colorado	Originally 1st runner-up, ascended to title when Diane Tucker won Mrs. World Mrs. World Mrs. World is an international beauty pageant organized annually as a beauty contest for married women. It is originally based on the Mrs. America beauty pageant. Arranged on lines similar to other beauty pageants, it also lays stress on women's opinion on marriage...
2008	Kelly McBee	Wyoming
2009	Maureen MacDonald	North Carolina
2010	Andrea Robertson	Missouri
2011	Shelley Carbone	Connecticut
2011-12	April Lufriu	Florida	First-generation American (parents from Honduras Honduras Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize... )

Crossovers

Some contestants in the Mrs. America pageant have previously held state pageant titles in the Miss USA

Miss USA

The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...

, Miss America

Miss America

The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...

, Mrs. United States and Miss Teen USA

Miss Teen USA

Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....

 pageants. They include:

• Mrs. North Carolina 1997 - Janice McQueen Ward - Mrs. United States 1999
• Mrs. Indiana 2001 & Mrs. America 2001 - Nicole Brink (nee Llewellyn) - Miss Indiana Teen USA
  Miss Indiana Teen USA
  The Miss Indiana Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Indiana in the Miss Teen USA pageant. This pageant is directed by Sanders and Associates....
  
   1992 & Miss Indiana USA
  Miss Indiana USA
  The Miss Indiana USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Indiana in the Miss USA pageant.Nine Miss Indiana USA winners previously competed at Miss Teen USA. The state currently holds the record for the most Miss Teen USA state winners to win a Miss USA...
  
   1998
• Mrs. Arizona 2004 - Britt Boyse
  Britt Boyse
  Britt Powell Boyse is a former beauty pageant contestant from Kansas City, Missouri who has competed in the Miss USA pageant.In 1994 Boyse competed in the Miss Missouri pageant as Miss Northwest Missouri and placed first runner-up to Ann Marie Sun...
  
   (nee Powell) - Miss Missouri USA
  Miss Missouri USA
  The Miss Missouri USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Missouri in the Miss USA pageant. In 1993, Missouri joined the Vanbros group of state pageants for the Miss USA and Teen USA system....
  
   1995
• Mrs. Idaho 2004 - Amanda Peterson (nee Greenway) - Miss Idaho Teen USA
  Miss Idaho Teen USA
  The Miss Idaho Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Idaho in the Miss Teen USA pageant.Idaho has only placed twice and as such is one of the least successful states at Miss Teen USA...
  
   1992
• Mrs. Iowa 2004 - Jamie Patterson
  Jamie Solinger
  Jamie Patterson is a beauty queen and model from Altoona who became the first and only woman from Iowa to capture the Miss Teen USA crown and placed third runner-up to Mrs America 2005.-Miss Teen USA:...
  
   (nee Solinger) - Miss Iowa Teen USA
  Miss Iowa Teen USA
  The Miss Iowa Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Iowa in the Miss Teen USA pageant, which is co-owned by the Miss Universe Organization, NBC Universal and Donald Trump...
  
   1992, Miss Teen USA 1992
  Miss Teen USA 1992
  Miss Teen USA 1992, the tenth Miss Teen USA pageant, was televised live from the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi on 25 August 1992....
  
  , & Miss Iowa USA
  Miss Iowa USA
  The Miss Iowa USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Iowa in the Miss USA pageant.While Iowa has not been greatly successful in the past four decades, they were one of the most consistent states in the first decade of the pageant's existence...
  
   1998
• Mrs. Kansas 2004 - Kimberlee Easter (nee Girrens) - Miss Kansas Teen USA
  Miss Kansas Teen USA
  The Miss Kansas Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Kansas in the Miss Teen USA pageant.This pageant has been part of the Vanbros organisation since 1992, and in 2006 celebrated their fifteen-year anniversary with a reunion of former titleholders at...
  
   1986 & Miss Kansas USA
  Miss Kansas USA
  The Miss Kansas USA pageant is a competition that selects the representative for the state of Kansas in the Miss USA pageant.Kansas did not place at Miss USA until 1973, the third-to-last state to make their first placement. From then, no delegate from Kansas made the cut until 1991, when Kelli...
  
   1992
• Mrs. Maryland 2004 - Nikki Karl - Mrs. Maryland International 2003
• Mrs. Massachusetts 2004 - Claire O'Connor (nee DeSimone) - Miss Rhode Island USA
  Miss Rhode Island USA
  The Miss Rhode Island USA competition is the beauty pageant that selects the representative for the state Rhode Island in the Miss USA pageant....
  
   1999
• Mrs. Minnesota 2004 - Melissa Young (nee Hall) - Miss Minnesota USA
  Miss Minnesota USA
  The Miss Minnesota USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Minnesota in the Miss USA pageant.Despite a strong start in the first three years of competition at Miss USA, Minnesota has been largely unsuccessful overall...
  
   1997
• Mrs. New Hampshire 2004 - Stephanie Mills (nee Foisy) - Miss New Hampshire
  Miss New Hampshire
  The Miss New Hampshire competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New Hampshire in the Miss America pageant.The Miss New Hampshire program was conducted by the Union Leader newspaper for more than 50 years...
  
   1995
• Mrs. Texas 2004 - Jennifer Palmieri (nee Craig) - Miss Georgia USA
  Miss Georgia USA
  The Miss Georgia USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Georgia in the Miss USA pageant.Historically, Georgia has been the eleventh most successful state at Miss USA and has performed in more recent years, placing eighth on the table of most successful states...
  
   1996
• Mrs. West Virginia 2004 - Amanda Duffy (nee Burns) - Miss West Virginia Teen USA
  Miss West Virginia Teen USA
  The Miss West Virginia Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of West Virginia in the Miss Teen USA pageant.The current titleholder is Miss Susan Hines King of Fairmont, West Virginia....
  
   1997 & Miss West Virginia USA
  Miss West Virginia USA
  The Miss West Virginia USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of West Virginia in the Miss USA pageant.West Virginia has not been greatly successful at Miss USA and they have never produced a winner...
  
   1999
• Mrs. South Carolina 2005 - Angela Hughes-Singleton - Miss South Carolina
  Miss South Carolina
  The Miss South Carolina competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of South Carolina in the Miss America pageant. The pageant was first held in Myrtle Beach and moved to Greenville starting in 1958 and remained in that city until the 90s. Spartanburg has hosted the...
  
   1996
• Mrs. California 2006 & Mrs. America 2006 - Andrea Preuss (nee Ballengee) - Miss Virginia Teen USA
  Miss Virginia Teen USA
  The Miss Virginia Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Virginia in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
  
   1992 & Miss Virginia
  Miss Virginia
  The Miss Virginia competition is a scholarship pageant for women, with the titleholder representing Virginia in the Miss America pageant. The competition was founded in 1953 as a scholarship contest for young women, although women had represented Virginia in the Miss America pageant since the 1930s...
  
   1995 (dethroned)
• Mrs. Maine 2006 - Heather Clark (nee Coutts) - Miss Maine USA
  Miss Maine USA
  The Miss Maine USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Maine in the Miss USA pageant. The pageant has been directed by Mackenzie Davis, Miss Maine USA 2004, since 2007....
  
   1999
• Mrs. Florida 2007 - Jamie Converse-Estrada - Miss Florida USA
  Miss Florida USA
  The Miss Florida USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Florida in the Miss USA pageant.While Florida has been successful in terms of runners-up, finalists and semi-finalists, the state has never won the Miss USA pageant, although Cheryl Patton became Miss USA...
  
   1998
• Mrs. Illinois 2007 - Hallie Thompson (nee Bonnell) - Miss Ohio USA
  Miss Ohio USA
  The Miss Ohio USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Ohio in the Miss USA pageant.Ohio achieved success in the first decades of the Miss USA competition but has not done as well in recent years...
  
   1987
• Mrs. Maryland 2007 - Adrienne Watson Carver - Mrs. Maryland United States 2006
• Mrs. North Carolina 2007 - Kathryn Hancock-Stuart - Miss South Carolina Teen USA
  Miss South Carolina Teen USA
  The Miss South Carolina Teen USA pageant is the competition that selects the representativies for the stat of South Carolina in the Miss Teen USA pageant. The pageant has been directed by RPM Productions since its inception....
  
   1990
• Mrs. Oregon 2007 - Kimberly Takla (nee Stubblefield) - Miss Oregon USA
  Miss Oregon USA
  The Miss Oregon USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Oregon in the Miss USA pageant.Oregon has only had limited success at Miss USA and has never won the competition. The highest placed Miss Oregon USA was Gail Atchison who finished 2nd runner-up to...
  
   1986
• Mrs. Tennessee 2007 - Christina Ryan (nee Lam) - Miss Illinois USA
  Miss Illinois USA
  The Miss Illinois USA pageant is a competition that selects the representative for the state Illinois in the Miss USA pageant.Illinois is one of the most successful states in the competition. It is one of only four states to have won four or more Miss USA titles and one of only three states to...
  
   1999
• Mrs. Utah 2007 - Heather Osmond (nee Henderson) - Miss Utah Teen USA
  Miss Utah Teen USA
  The Miss Utah Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Utah in the Miss Teen USA pageant.From 2006, the pageant will be produced by Red Curtain Productions, which includes a number of former Miss Utah Teen USAs and Miss Utah USAs.Utah is one of the least...
  
   1994
• Mrs. Florida 2008 - Jaclyn Stapp (nee Nesheiwat) - Miss New York USA
  Miss New York USA
  The Miss New York USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New York in the Miss USA pageant. Amber Collins is the reigning Miss New York USA 2011...
  
   2004
• Mrs. Michigan 2008 - Sara Dusendang-Moylan - Miss Michigan Teen USA
  Miss Michigan Teen USA
  The Miss Michigan Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Michigan in the Miss Teen USA pageant. This pageant is produced by Proctor Productions, including Melissa Pitchford who was Miss Ohio USA 1990....
  
   1999
• Mrs. Connecticut 2009 - Melanie Varian (nee Mudry) - Miss Connecticut USA
  Miss Connecticut USA
  The Miss Connecticut USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Connecticut in the Miss USA pageant. This pageant is directed by Crown Productions, who took over the pageant in 2003....
  
   2007
• Mrs. District of Columbia 2009 - Deanna McCray James - Mrs. Maryland United States 2005
• Mrs. Massachusetts 2009 - Rosalie Allain-Morris - Miss Massachusetts USA
  Miss Massachusetts USA
  The Miss Massachusetts USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Massachusetts in the Miss USA pageant....
  
   2000
• Mrs. Vermont 2009 - Jennifer Bisson (nee Ripley) - Miss Vermont Teen USA
  Miss Vermont Teen USA
  The Miss Vermont Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Vermont in the Miss Teen USA pageant.Vermont is one of the least successful states at Miss Teen USA, having only placed twice...
  
   1999 & Miss Vermont USA
  Miss Vermont USA
  The Miss Vermont USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Vermont in the Miss USA pageant.Vermont is one of the least successful states, but they have produced a Miss USA - Carlene King Johnson in 1955...
  
   2003
• Mrs. Arizona 2010 - Corrie Francis (nee Hill) - Miss Arizona
  Miss Arizona
  The Miss Arizona competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Arizona in the Miss America pageant. Arizona has twice won the Miss America title.-Results summary:...
  
   2003
• Mrs. Colorado 2010 - Shalon Polson (nee Pecosky) - Miss Colorado Teen USA
  Miss Colorado Teen USA
  The Miss Colorado Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Colorado in the Miss Teen USA pageant. From 2007, the pageant has been directed by the Future Productions group which also directs pageants in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota,...
  
   1990
• Mrs. District of Columbia 2010 - Regena Robinson- Mrs. Maryland United States 2008
• Mrs. Florida 2010 - Kellie Lightbourn
  Kellie Lightbourn
  Kellie Lightbourn is an American model. She is the host of ABC Action News’ Consumer Update. Previously, she worked as a legal correspondent, anchor, and reporter for WFTS-TV. She has been featured on shows like E! Entertainment, Designing Spaces, Maury and Extra.Lightbourn previously held the...
  
   - Miss Virginia USA
  Miss Virginia USA
  The Miss Virginia USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Virginia in the Miss USA pageant.Virginia has been only moderately successful in terms of number of semi-finalists, they have had two Miss USAs. They are one of only three states to have had two Miss...
  
   1999
• Mrs. Hawaii 2010 - Alicia Michioka-Jones - Miss Hawaii USA
  Miss Hawaii USA
  The Miss Hawaii USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Hawaii in the Miss USA pageant.Hawaii is the most recent state to start competing at Miss USA, as it first competed in 1962. Prior to this delegates were sent to Miss Universe...
  
   2003
• Mrs. Michigan 2010 - Stephanie Hunt - Mrs. United States 2007
• Mrs. New York 2010 - Meaghan Castaldi
  Meaghan Jarensky
  Meaghan Jarensky Castaldi is a beauty queen from The Bronx, New York who has competed in the Miss USA 2005 pageant.-Miss New York 2005:Jarensky won the Miss New York USA 2005 title in a state pageant held in 2004. It was her first attempt at the title, and she was crowned by outgoing titleholder...
  
   (nee Jarensky) - Miss New York USA
  Miss New York USA
  The Miss New York USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New York in the Miss USA pageant. Amber Collins is the reigning Miss New York USA 2011...
  
   2005
• Mrs. Texas 2010 - Shannon Patterson (nee Schambeau) - Miss District of Columbia
  Miss District of Columbia
  The Miss District of Columbia competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the District of Columbia in the Miss America pageant. The District has twice won the title of Miss America....
  
   2005
• Mrs. Ohio 2011 - Melanie Miller (nee Murphy) - Miss Ohio
  Miss Ohio
  The Miss Ohio Scholarship Program selects the representative for the U.S. state of Ohio to compete for the title of Miss America...
  
   2006

Forerunner pageant

Prior to the current Mrs. America pageant, there was an earlier pageant of the same name. The pageant was created by public relations executive Bert Nevins in 1936 as a promotion for his client, Palisades Amusement Park

Palisades Amusement Park

Palisades Amusement Park was an amusement park located in Bergen County, New Jersey, across the Hudson River from New York City. It was situated atop the New Jersey Palisades lying partly in Cliffside Park and partly in Fort Lee. The park operated from 1898 until 1971, remaining one of the most...

 in New Jersey. When Nevins sold the pageant in 1963, it was the only nationally-televised beauty pageant for married women.

In 1964, participants were graded on cooking, sewing, ironing, party preparation and other homemaking abilities, family psychology, grooming, poise, personality and general attractiveness.

• 1938: Margaret Chamberlain, Ohio (appeared on Family Feud
  Family Feud
  Family Feud is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. Two families compete against each other in a contest to name the most popular responses to a survey question posed to 100 people...
  
  in 1980)
• 1939: Evelyn Schmitt, New Jersey
• 1940:
• 1941: Ruth Licklider, New York
• 1942: Peggie Diehl, Minnesota?
• 1943:
• 1944:
• 1945:
• 1946:
• 1947: Janice Pollock, Ohio; then Fredda Acker, South Carolina (after Pollock abdicated)
• 1948: Maria Strohmeier, Pennsylvania
• 1949: Frances Cloyd, California
• 1950: Betty McAllister, Pennsylvania
• 1951:
• 1952: Penny Duncan, New York; Peggy Creel, Florida (judges' contest winner, Creel was the winner; but Duncan was announced)
• 1953: Evelyn Joyce Schenk, New Jersey
• 1954: Erna Snyder, Pennsylvania
• 1955: Wanda Jennings, Missouri
• 1956: Ramona Deitemeyer, Nebraska
• 1957: Cleo Maletis
  Cleo Maletis
  Cleo Niki Maletis was a Canadian-born American beauty pageant titleholder. She was crowned the 19th Mrs. America in the Mrs. America Pageant of 1957.- Life and family :...
  
  , Oregon
• 1958: Lynwood Finley, District of Columbia
• 1959: Helen Giesse, Ohio
• 1960: Margaret Priebe, Iowa
• 1961: Mrs. George Murphy, Indiana
• 1962: Lila Mason, Michigan
• 1963: Marilyn Mitchell, California
• 1964: Deseree Jenkins, South Carolina
• 1965: Alice Buehner, Utah
• 1966: Joy Noufer, Texas
• 1967: Marlene Cochran, Kansas
• 1968: Joan Fisher, Utah
• 1969:

Information from online newspaper archives