Miss Missouri

For the state pageant affiliated with Miss USA, see Miss Missouri USA.

The Miss Missouri competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the U.S. state of Missouri in the Miss America pageant.

Miss Missouri

Formation	1922
Type	Beauty pageant
Headquarters	Mexico
Location	Missouri
Membership	Miss America
Official language	English
Website	Official website

Ashley Berry of Clinton was crowned Miss Missouri 2024 on June 15, 2024, at Missouri Military Academy in Mexico, Missouri. She will compete for the title of Miss America 2025.

History

From 1935 to 1970, the Miss Missouri pageant was held in a number of locations, including St. Louis, Kansas City, and Springfield. In 1970, the pageant was held for the first time in Mexico, which would become the pageant's home. The pageant has been held in Mexico in all following years.

Missouri has produced one Miss America: Debbye Turner (Miss America 1990). Three Miss Missouri pageant winners have won the Miss Missouri USA crown and competed in the annual Miss USA pageant, most notably Miss Missouri 2002, Shandi Finnessey, who won the Miss USA 2004 title and placed 1st runner-up at Miss Universe.^{[citation needed]} Sarah French, Miss Missouri 2006, is the only titleholder who has also competed at Miss Teen USA, representing Arkansas.^{[citation needed]}

Gallery of past titleholders

• 
  Debbye Turner,
  Miss Missouri 1989 and Miss America 1990
• 
  Shandi Finnessey,
  Miss Missouri 2002 (during reign as Miss USA 2004)

Results summary

The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss Missouri titleholders at the national Miss America pageants/competitions. The year in parentheses indicates the year of the national competition during which a placement and/or award was garnered, not the year attached to the contestant's state title.

Placements

• Miss Americas: Debbye Turner (1990)
• 1st runners-up: Edna Smith (1935), Jennifer Davis (2018)
• 2nd runners-up: Soncee Brown (1992), Simone Esters (2020)
• 3rd runners-up: Charlotte Nash (1923), Susan Wilson (1980), Deborah McDonald (1999)
• 4th runners-up: Tamara Tungate (1987), Kimberly Massaro (1997)
• Top 10: Sara Cooper (1958), Barbara Webster (1984), Robin Riley (1988), Stephanie Patterson (1993)
• Top 12: Shelby Ringdahl (2014)
• Top 15: Corinne Groves (1926), Marguerite Jordan (1926), Virginia Morrison (1940), Amber Etheridge (2004)
• Top 16: Wauneta Bates (1937)
• Top 18: Marie Marks (1933)
• Top 20: Jennifer Hover (2002)

Awards

Preliminary awards

• Preliminary Evening Gown: Shandi Finnessey (2003)
• Preliminary Lifestyle and Fitness: Tamara Tungate (1987), Debbye Turner (1990)
• Preliminary Talent: Sara Cooper (1958), Barbara Webster (1984)

Non-finalist awards

• Non-finalist Talent: Sharon Knickmeyer (1956), Frances Biesemeyer (1970), Heather Smith (1989), Whitney Weeks (2005)

Other awards

• Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship: Ann Marie Sun (1995)
• Beacom College STEM Scholarship: Simone Esters (2020)
• Quality of Life Award Finalists: Tara Osseck (2010)
• Roller Chair Parade Grand Prize: Charlotte Nash (1923)

Winners

•   Declared as winner
•   Ended as a runner-up
•   Ended as a finalist or semi-finalist

Year	Name	Hometown	Age	Local Title	Miss America Talent	Placement at Miss America	Special scholarships at Miss America	Notes
2024	Ashley Berry	Clinton	20	Miss Kansas City		TBA	TBA	Previously Miss Missouri's Outstanding Teen 2021
2023	Hayley Leach[1]	St.Louis	25	Miss Southern Missouri	Monologue
2022	Claire Marie Kuebler	Wildwood	21	Miss Spirit of St. Louis	Vocal
2021	Callie Cox[2]	Mexico	21	Miss Zona Rosa	Vocal
2019–20	Simone Esters[3][4]	Columbia	20	Miss Metro St. Louis	Baton Twirling, "Turn the Beat Around"	2nd runner-up[5]	Beacom College STEM Scholarship[6]	Founded Writeous Girls, Inc., a nonprofit mentoring program that works to empower young women through the craft of writing[7]
2018	Katelyn Lewis[8]	Lake St. Louis	22	Miss Fleur De Lis	Vocal, "Memory" from Cats
2017	Jennifer Davis[9][10]	St. Charles	23	Miss Jackson	Bollywood Dance, "Naacho Re"	1st runner-up[11]		Published author of children's book, Diversity Matters[12]
2016	Erin O'Flaherty[13]	St. Louis	23	Miss City of Fountains	Vocal			First openly gay contestant to compete at Miss America[13]
2015	McKensie Garber[14]	Hale	22	Miss Gateway St. Louis	Jazz Ballet en Pointe, "P.Y.T."			Previously Miss Missouri's Outstanding Teen 2011[14]
2014	Jessica Hartman[15]	Pueblo	23	Miss Springfield	Dance, "Steppin' Out with My Baby"			Previously Miss Colorado USA 2010 3rd runner-up at Miss USA 2010 pageant Previously Miss Intercontinental 2011[16]
2013	Shelby Ringdahl[17]	Columbia	21	Miss Springfield	Vocal, "Defying Gravity" from Wicked	Top 12
2012	Tippe Emmott[18]	Springfield	21	Miss Branson	Ballet en Pointe, "Un Dia Llegara"			1st runner-up at National Sweetheart 2011 pageant
2011	Sydney Friar[19]	El Dorado Springs	22		Vocal, "Dream On"
2010	Erika Hebron[20]	O'Fallon	23	Miss Gateway St. Louis	Lyrical Dance, "Dream In Color"
2009	Tara Osseck[21]	St. Charles	23	Miss Lake of the Ozarks	Tap Dance, "Sing, Sing, Sing"		Quality of Life Award Finalist
2008	Lacey Fitzgerald	Kansas City	24	Miss Gateway of the West	Vocal
2007	Lindsay Casmaer	Florissant	24	Miss River City	Ballet en Pointe, "Piano Fantasy"
2006	Sarah French	Columbia	21	Miss Mid-Missouri	Vocal, "I've Got the World on a String"			Previously Miss Arkansas Teen USA 2004 Named Miss Photogenic at Miss Teen USA 2004 pageant
2005	Stacie Cooley	Liberty	22	Miss Columbia	Jazz Dance, "Last Dance"
2004	Whitney Weeks	Chesterfield	24	Miss Jackson	Tap Dance, "Tico-Tico no Fubá"		Non-finalist Talent Award	Daughter of Miss West Virginia 1961, Carole Johnson[citation needed]
2003	Amber Etheridge	St. Louis	23	Miss Northwest Missouri	Vocal, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"	Top 15
2002	Shandi Finnessey[22]	Florissant	24	Miss Metro St. Louis	Piano, "Bumble Boogie"		Preliminary Evening Gown Award	Later Miss Missouri USA 2004 Later Miss USA 2004[23] 1st runner-up at Miss Universe 2004 pageant[24]
2001	Jennifer Hover	Springfield	23	Miss Springfield	Vocal Medley, "Somewhere" & "Over the Rainbow"	Top 20
2000	Arron Wendel	Lawson	23	Miss Ray County	Modern Dance, "This Is Your Time"
1999	Patryce King	New Cambria	23	Miss Mid-Missouri	Piano, Rhapsody in Blue
1998	Deborah McDonald	Alton	24	Miss West Plains	Vocal, "I Will Always Love You"	3rd runner-up
1997	Michele Eise	St. Louis	24	Miss Malden	Gospel Vocal, "How Great Thou Art"
1996	Kimberly Massaro	St. Louis	24	Miss Mid-Missouri	Tap Dance, "Favorite Son" from The Will Rogers Follies	4th runner-up
1995	Erin Phillips	Mexico	23	Miss Audrain	Tap Dance to Gershwin Medley
1994	Ann Marie Sun	Springfield	22	Miss Mid-Missouri	Piano		Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship
1993	Amber Green	Steelville	23	Miss North Central	Piano, "Battle Hymn of the Republic"
1992	Stephanie Patterson	Kansas City	23	Miss Aurora	Vocal Medley, "I Have Dreamed" & "If I Loved You"	Top 10
1991	Soncee Brown	Springfield	24	Miss Lake of the Ozarks	Vocal / Piano, "He Touched Me" from Drat! The Cat!	2nd runner-up
1990	Sherry Traylor	Mexico	26	Miss North Central	Vocal, "What's New"
1989	Patricia Ann Meusburger[25]		25	Miss Twin Counties		Did not compete; originally 6th place as a semifinalist, later assumed title after Turner won Miss America 1990 as all of the runners-up declined to take the title
	Debbye Turner	Mexico	23	Miss Columbia	Marimba Medley, "Flight of the Bumblebee," "Csárdás," & "Can-Can"	Winner[26]	Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award	Previously National Sweetheart 1988 as Miss Arkansas Later a medical reporter and anchor for CBS' The Early Show
1988	Heather Smith	Maryland Heights	21	Miss Columbia	Baton Twirling, "Whistler and his Dog" by Arthur Pryor		Non-finalist Talent Award
1987	Robin Riley	Columbia	25	Miss Columbia	Ballet, "Overture" from Funny Girl	Top 10		Previously Miss Missouri USA 1983
1986	Tamara Tungate	St. Peters	21	Miss North Central	Vocal, "Don't Rain on My Parade" from Funny Girl	4th runner-up	Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
1985	Lisa Coverdale	Columbia	24	Miss North Central	Classical Piano
1984	Anna Schell	Kennett	26	Miss Springfield	Semi-classical Vocal, Medley from The Sound of Music
1983	Barbara Webster	Jefferson City	21	Miss Santa Fe Trails	Violin Medley, "Listen to the Mocking Bird" & "Orange Blossom Special"	Top 10	Preliminary Talent Award	Later Miss Missouri USA 1986
1982	Julie Phillips	Ava	18	Miss Queen of the Ozarks	Classical/Jazz Piano
1981	Theresa McDonnell	Florissant	22	Miss Trenton	Vocal, "Let's Hear it for Me" from Funny Lady
1980	Carla LeFevre	Harrisonville	22	Miss Kansas City	Semi-classical Vocal, "And This Is My Beloved"
1979	Susan Wilson	Columbia	21	Miss Jefferson County	Piano, Fantaisie-Impromptu	3rd runner-up
1978	Tamara Fister	Poplar Bluff	21	Miss St. Louis	Vocal, "Beautiful"
1977	Jayne Scherder	Bowling Green	20	Miss William Woods College	Piano, "The Firefly"
1976	Marcia Kolich	Sugar Creek	22	Miss Jackson County	Jazz Dance, "Everything's Coming up Roses," "On Broadway," & "That's Entertainment!"
1975	Rebecca Rives	Stoutsville	22	Miss Kirksville	Vocal Medley, "The Trolley Song" & "Over the Rainbow"
1974	Michelle Marshall	Florissant	20	Miss St. Louis	Vocal / Dance, "Sweet Charity" from Sweet Charity
1973	Terri Dodson	Fulton	22	Miss William Woods College	Piano, "Dizzy Fingers"
1972	Anita Columbo	St. Louis	21	Miss St. Louis	Vocal / Dance, "It's Today" from Mame
1971	Deborah Duff	Kansas City	19	Miss Kansas City	Modern Jazz Dance, "Big Noise from Winnetka"
1970	Marcia Mossbarger	Brookfield	22	Miss Brookfield	Tap Dance, "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head"
1969	Frances Biesemeyer	New Franklin	18	Miss Fayette	Art Presentation, "Talk to the Animals"		Non-finalist Talent Award
1968	Kathleen Goff	DeSoto	21	Miss Southwest Missouri State College	Vocal, "I'm Gonna Live til I Die"
1967	Ronnee Brunk	St. Louis	19	Miss Camdenton	Vocal, "I Feel a Song Coming On"
1966	Janice Robinson	Marshfield	20	Miss Southwest Missouri State College	Skit with Piano, Vocal, & Dance, "Calling Billy Names"
1965	Lesley Fleenor	Springfield	20	Miss West Plains	Vocal, "Hard Hearted Hannah"
1964	Carol Browning	Lee's Summit	20	Miss Lee's Summit	Marimba & Accordion Medley
1963	Judith Engelhardt	Affton		Miss St. Charles	Classical Vocal, "The Jewel Song" from Faust
1962	Sandra Lyle	Springfield	19	Miss Springfield	Dramatic Reading, "The Potion Scene" from Romeo & Juliet
1961	Sarah Burns	Caruthersville	20	Miss Caruthersville	Vocal / Dance, "Put on a Happy Face" from Bye Bye Birdie
1960	Dusene Vunovich	Kansas City	19	Miss Kansas City	Vocal, "Honey Bun" from South Pacific
1959	Linda Long	Independence	19	Miss Independence	Dramatic Reading from The White Cliffs of Dover
1958	Marjorie Critten[27]	Kansas City		Miss Kansas City	Tap Dance, "Opus No. 1"
1957	Sara Cooper	Buckner		Miss Kansas City	Charleston Dance	Top 10	Preliminary Talent Award	Daughter of Major League Baseball player, Walker Cooper[citation needed]
1956	Roseann Teri	St. Louis		Miss St. Louis	Dress Design
1955	Sharon Knickmeyer				Synchronized Swimming		Non-finalist Talent Award
1954	Carole Wilkinson	Maplewood		Miss Maplewood	Vocal
1953	Laura Holmes	Northwoods		Miss Northwoods	Dance
1952	Florence Spack	Clayton		Miss Clayton	Vocal
1951	Carol Romann	St. Charles		Miss St. Charles	Bassoon
1950	Beverly Rotroff	Kansas City		Miss Kansas City	Vocal / Piano
1949	Mary Stone	Jefferson City		Miss Jefferson City
1948	Dorothy Smith	Kansas City		Miss Kansas City
1947	Mary Jean Burke				Vocal, "I'm a Big Girl Now"
1946	Nadine LaVerne Fugett							Competed under local title at Miss America pageant
1945	Betty Ream	Hughesville		Miss Hughesville
1944	No Missouri representative at Miss America pageant[28]
1943	Emma Jean Adams	St. Louis		Miss St. Louis				Competed under local title at Miss America pageant
1942	No Missouri representative at Miss America pageant[29]
1941	Leila Bell Wright[30]	Kansas City		Miss Kansas City				Multiple Missouri representatives Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
	Geraldine Koehler	St. Louis		Miss Missouri
1940	Gloria Kathleen Gipson	Kansas City		Miss Kansas City				Multiple Missouri representatives Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
	Virginia Morrison	St. Louis		Miss Missouri		Top 15
	LaFern Mueller	St. Louis		Miss St. Louis
1939	Margaret Ley
1938	No Missouri representative at Miss America pageant[31]
1937	Mary Sue Klein	Moberly		Miss Moberly				Multiple Missouri representatives Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
	Wauneta Bates	St. Louis		Miss St. Louis		Top 16
1936	Margaret Price	Lexington		Miss Lexington
1935	Edna Smith	Fayette	19	Miss Fayette	Piano / Vocal, "Prelude No. 20 by Chopin" & "When Day Is Done"	1st runner-up		Edna Smith Glenn died at age 90 on June 10, 2007.
1934	No national pageant was held[32]
1933	Marie LaTourette Marks	St. Louis	16		N/A[33]	Top 18
1932	No national pageants were held[32]
1931
1930
1929
1928
1927	Marion Kenser			Miss Kansas City	N/A[33]			Multiple Missouri representatives Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
	Katherine Calloway			Miss Missouri
1926	Marguerite Jordan			Miss Kansas City		Top 15		Multiple Missouri representatives Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
	Ruby Wallace			Miss Missouri
	Corinne Groves			Miss St. Louis		Top 15
1925	Eileen Wenzel			Miss St. Louis				Competed under local title at Miss America pageant
1924	Helen Moore
1923	Charlotte Nash[34]	St. Louis	17	Miss St. Louis		3rd runner-up[35]	Roller Chair Parade Grand Prize[36]	Competed under local title at national pageant Married millionaire and theatre magnate, Fred Nixon-Nirdlinger, twice[37][38] Shot and killed Nixon-Nirdlinger in March 1931 in Nice, France[37][39] Was acquitted after successfully arguing act was in self-defense[40][41]
1922	Miriam Chafee[42]	Kansas City		Miss Kansas City				Multiple Missouri representatives Contestants competed under local title at national pageant
	Mildred Hose[43]	St. Louis		Miss St. Louis
1921	No Missouri representative at Miss America pageant[44]

References

1. Ramesh, Sruthidate=June 18, 2023 (17 June 2023). "St. Louis woman wins Miss Missouri competition". KOMU. Retrieved June 18, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
2. Barczykowski, Hannah (21 June 2021). "New Miss Missouri, an MU senior, wants to spotlight people with disabilities". Columbia Missourian. Retrieved 2021-06-28.
3. Meyer, Lida (May 8, 2020). "Miss Missouri Pageant postponed a second time". Columbia Missourian. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
4. Dunlap, Charles (June 16, 2019). "University of Missouri student wins Miss Missouri pageant". Columbia Tribune.
5. Seemayer, Zach (December 19, 2019). "Miss Virginia Camille Schrier Crowned New Miss America 2020!". ET Tonight.
6. Zambito, Pete; Meisenbach, Rebecca (December 18, 2019). "Simone Esters wins $5,000 scholarship in Miss America competition". Missourian.
7. "Mentoring Program For Girls: Writeous Girls, Inc". Writeous Girls, Inc. Retrieved 2019-12-25.
8. Sabatke, Sarah (June 17, 2018). "Katelyn Lewis crowned 2018 Miss Missouri". Columbia Daily Tribune.
9. "New Miss Missouri crowned". Missouri Net. June 19, 2017.
10. Fike, Brenda (June 19, 2017). "Jennifer Davis crowned Miss Missouri 2017". The Mexico Ledger.
11. Nelson, Alisa (September 11, 2017). "Miss Missouri is 2018 Miss America runner-up". Missouri Net.
12. Fike, Brenda (June 19, 2017). "Jennifer Davis crowned Miss Missouri 2017". The Mexican Ledger.
13. Shepherd, Ken (September 6, 2016). "Erin O'Flaherty hoping to become first openly lesbian Miss America". The Washington Times.
14. Stortz Ripley, Catherine (June 15, 2015). "Miss Missouri McKENSIE GARBER". Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune. Chillicothe, MO: GateHouse Media.
15. Sokolowski, Doug (September 14, 2014). "Miss Missouri Ready For Miss America". KSIS Radio.
16. Rives, Ma (October 8, 2011). "United States is crowned at Orihuela Miss Intercontinental 2011". Información.
17. "Columbia native Shelby Ringdahl wins Miss Missouri pageant". Columbia Missourian. June 10, 2013.
18. "Springfield woman wins Miss Missouri crown". Springfield News-Leader. June 12, 2012. Archived from the original on January 29, 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
19. "El Dorado Springs Woman Named Miss Missouri 2011". KSPR 33. June 11, 2011. Archived from the original on June 15, 2011.
20. Duplantier, Wes (June 14, 2010). "Erika Hebron crowned Miss Missouri 2010". Mexico Ledger. Archived from the original on June 22, 2010.
21. "St. Charles Native Wins Miss Missouri Title". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. June 9, 2009.
22. Redeffer, Linda (2004-04-14). "On her way to Miss USA, beauty queen won in Jackson". The Southeast Missourian. Retrieved 2011-06-13.
23. "Miss Missouri crowned Miss USA 2004: Shandi Finnessey, 25, will represent America in Miss Universe pageant". USA Today. April 13, 2004.
24. "Miss Australia Crowned New Miss Universe". Fox News Channel. June 2, 2004.
25. "State Finally Finds a New Miss Missouri". The Southeast Missourian. September 29, 1989.
26. "Miss America 1990 Debbye Turner: A Profile of Success". Pageantry Magazine. 1989-09-16.
27. "Parade of States". Pageant Almanac. Archived from the original on October 15, 2006.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
28. "1944 Candidates". Miss America.
29. "1942 Candidates". Miss America.
30. "Miss Delaware to Give Atlantic City Beauties Run for U. S. Honors". Wilmington, Delaware: The Morning News. September 4, 1941.
31. "1938 Candidates". Miss America.
32. "Miss America Timeline: 1901–1950". PBS. Archived from the original on 2017-02-15. Retrieved 2019-10-13.
33. Schnitzspahn, Karen (September 8, 1997). "There She Was – Miss Long Branch". Asbury Park Press. Asbury Park, New Jersey. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com. ...talent contest that was established in 1935.
34. "Miss St. Louis First in Atlantic City Beauty Trials". The Pittsburgh Post. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. September 6, 1923. p. 2.
35. "Columbus Girl Wins for Second Time Title of Miss America". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. September 8, 1923. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com. ...Miss Charlotte Nash of St Louis and Miss Marian Green of Philadelphia were the runners up, in the order named.
36. "Columbus, O. Girl Again Wins Title of "Miss America"". The Pittsburgh Press. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. September 8, 1923. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
37. "Beauty Contest Girl Held as Husband Shot to Death". The San Bernardino County Sun. San Bernardino, California. March 13, 1931. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
38. "Charlotte Nash". The St. Louis Star and Times. St. Louis, Missouri. May 19, 1926. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
39. "Mrs. Nixon-Nirdlinger Goes on Trial Today". The New York Times. New York, New York. May 20, 1931. p. 13.
40. "First Intimate Details of Her Romance With the Theatrical Magnate". The St. Louis Star and Times. St. Louis, Missouri. July 7, 1931. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com. ...acquitted in Nice, France of the murder of her husband.
41. "Takes Jury Ten Minutes to Acquit US Beauty". The Central New Jersey Home News. New Brunswick, New Jersey. May 20, 1913.
42. "Reporter, Dazzled by Beauty of Six Pageant Entrants - Sees Hard Job Ahead for Judges". The Indianapolis Times. Indianapolis, Indiana. September 5, 1922. p. 1.
43. "Miss Mildred Hose Wins Beauty Contest Here". The St. Louis Star and Times. St. Louis, Missouri. August 30, 1922. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
44. "1921 Candidates". Miss America.

External links

• Official website