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In December, Erin Collins, of
Greeneville, was crowned as the first Miss Greene County since 1993.
Before 2007, however, 25 women had worn the crown that entitled them to
compete for Miss Tennessee and perhaps Miss America. Of those 25, only
one, Kathy Brang, ever wore the state crown, and she won it in 1993 as
Miss Historic Jonesborough. Since 2008 is the 45th anniversary of the
first Miss Tennessee preliminary held locally, a committee of Debbie
McAmis, Cathy Cannon and Linda Allman Crawford were eager to find and
contact all the previous winners.
They were successful and have replies
from each one. No matter where they're living, each former Miss Greene
County had positive recollections of that special year in her life.
Most stated that self-confidence was a major byproduct of wearing the
crown. They're also appreciative for the opportunity, the memories and
the local people who were so supportive of them. Space limitations
prevent the printing of each one's statement. So, if you've been
wondering what ever became of them, here they are:
1963 - Brenda Parman Kucharski and her
husband, Dick, reside in Spring City. Brenda is enjoying retirement
following 39 years of working with the University of Tennessee
Extension Service. She was a home economist and direct program leader.
1964 - Ann Carter Ross and her
husband, Robert, reside in Greeneville. They have two sons and two
grandchildren. She taught school for several years, then opened a
retail gift store, "Country Heritage," which they enjoyed for 13 years.
1965 - Barbara Harrison resides in
Clearwater, Fla. She has two daughters and a grandson. She has been
head registered nurse for Urgent Care for more than 20 years.
1966 - Sylvia Brooks Schneider and her
husband, Keith, reside in Knoxville. She has a daughter, two
grandchildren and a stepson. She has had a State Farm Agency for 20
years.
1967 - Linda Higgins McCarty and her
husband, Bryan, reside in Franklin. They have one son and a grandson.
For nine years, she was a teacher and school administrator. Then, for
18 years, she was the executive director for the Tennessee State
Employee Association, for seven years, she represented the Tennessee
Education Association, and for one year was a consultant for three
states.
1968 - Jeanie Waddell Burns and her
husband, Tommy, reside in Greeneville. She is a retired educator from
the Greene County Schools. They have two sons, three grandsons and a
granddaughter.
1969 - Debbie Bible Hendrix resides in
Greeneville. She has had a 27-year career as a teacher at Greeneville
Middle School. She has one son.
1970 - Mary Ruth Reynolds McNatt and
her husband, Terry, reside in Powell. She has been a music educator for
more than 25 years. They have two daughters and a granddaughter. One of
the daughters has followed in her mother's pageant footsteps and is a
two-time Miss Tennessee state preliminary pageant winner.
1971 - Karen S. Crumm Harrel and her
husband, Sid, reside in Strawberry Plains. She has been a teacher for
19 years and spent six years in administration. She is the principal at
South Doyle Middle School. They have four children and two
grandchildren.
1972 - Sherry Carter Hodges and her
husband, Al, reside in Morristown. She is a Realtor and a retired
dental hygienist of 30 years in Knoxville. She recently received a
bachelor of arts degree in political science.
1973 - Dale Ann Dyke Ladd and her
husband, Mike, reside in Greeneville. They have two children and two
grandchildren. For 20 years, she has been an import coordinator for
MECO.
1974 - Denise Carter resides in
Greeneville. She has been a homemaker.
1975 - Jane Ann O'Dell Bell and her
husband, Berkeley, reside in Greeneville. They have three children and
two grandchildren. She is the principal at Camp Creek Elementary
School.
1976 - Linda Allman Crawford and her
husband, David, reside in Greeneville. They have three sons and six
grandchildren. She had a 27-year career in telecommunications and
retired as vice president and general manager for Alltel Communications
over Alabama. She is the co-owner of Greeneville Self Storage, LLC.
1977 - Tammy Myers resides in
Greeneville. She has two sons. She has worked eight years with
McInturff, Milligan and Brooks Insurance and works part-time at Lowe's.
(Editor's note: Linda Crawford and Ali
Burkhard Royston have said that the pageant was not active between 1977
and 1988, when it was revived by the Jaycees for one year prior to Jack
and Ali Burkhard purchasing the franchise. Mrs. Royston said that she
didn't know why the pageant ceased to exist in those years.)
1988 - Kathy Brang Mesmer and her
husband, John, reside in Oak Ridge. They have three children. She was
Miss Tennessee 1993. She was an entertainer at Dollywood and worked in
the pharmaceutical industry. Currently, she enjoys being a homemaker.
1989 - Kelly Broyles Cutshaw and her
husband, Tim, reside in Knoxville. They have two children. She is a
pre-school teacher.
1990 - Jan Charles Hickerson Keller
and her husband, Ricky, reside in Federal Way, Wash. They have four
children. She has dedicated her career to raising awareness/funding for
children with life threatening diseases. She is working to get Congress
to pass a "Catastrophic Bill" to financially assist parents with large
financial health care debt. She has created a camp for these children
called, "Camp Good Time."
1991 - Angela Brown Harvey and her
husband, Tony, reside in Lenoir City. They have two children. She has a
16-year career in the financial industry with First Tennessee Bank.
1992 - Wendy Miller Crowe and her
husband, Brian, reside in Knoxville. She is the director of
education/senior adults at Smithwood Baptist Church. They have three
children.
1993 - Tracey Towater Kizer and her
husband, Jody, reside in Union City. She is a women's health nurse
practitioner and works at Martin Medical Center and the UTM Student
Health Clinic. They have two children.
1994 - Beth Jones Powell and her
husband, Keith, reside in Vero Beach, Fla. They have two children. She
has had a career in land management for nine years. She works with
endangered species management. She speaks, educates and does media
interviews as a conservation specialist.
Pageant's History
Forty-five years ago the first Miss
America preliminary pageant was held locally.
Other local women had worn a Miss
Greene County crown previously, but 1963 was the first year for the
Miss America/Miss Tennessee preliminary event. Beginning in 1940, the
national Jaycees organization began to assist with the Miss America
Pageant.
It was the Jaycees who started the
local pageant, inspired by the late Billy Williams, who had been
involved with the pageant in Morristown and was president of the
Greeneville club. The Miss Greene County pageant, as a preliminary to
Miss Tennessee, was first held June 14, 1963, in the auditorium of
Greeneville High School. In the early years, the pageant was open only
to Greene County residents. In the later years, it was opened to
residents across the state. Until 1989, the Jaycees were the local
sponsor. However, the club ceased to exist, so Jack and Ali Burkhard
picked up the franchise and continued the tradition. Mr. Burkhard is
now deceased, but his attorney peers sponsor a scholarship in his name
for the revived pageant. |
