Miss Texas

This article is about the state pageant to select a Texas delegate to the Miss America pageant. For the Miss USA state pageant, see Miss Texas USA.

The Miss Texas competition was founded in 1936 as a scholarship contest for young women. The winner represents Texas in the Miss America pageant; three winners have gone on to be crowned Miss America (but none since 1975).

Almost all contestants have either received or are in the process of earning college or postgraduate degrees and utilize Miss Texas scholarship awards for furthering their education. Hundreds of young women participate each year in the local pageants, culminating in the selection of local finalists who vie for the Miss Texas title in Fort Worth each July.

To become Miss Texas, a contestant must first win a local competition, a process requiring personal commitment, hard work and talent. A young woman may compete at the local and state level more than once, but may only compete in the national Miss America competition one time. Hundreds of women participate each year in the local pageants, culminating in the selection of local finalists who compete for the Miss Texas title in Fort Worth in July.

Once chosen, Miss Texas and the local winners become representatives of their generation, using their stature to address community service matters and other contemporary issues, which are of particular relevance to young Texans and women.

In 2010, Miss Texas celebrated its 75th Anniversary, and Randy Pruett wrote a book, A Dream as Big as Texas, to document the stories of the 75 women that were crowned Miss Texas.

Winners

Year	Name	Hometown	Local Title	Age1	Talent	Placement at Miss America	Special scholarships at Miss America	Notes
2011	Kendall Morris	Ennis	Miss Frisco	20	Piano			Previously Miss Texas' Outstanding Teen 2006
2010	Ashley Melnick[1]	Dallas	Miss Fort Worth	21	Vocal "I Surrender"	Top 12
2009	Kristen Blair	Southlake	Miss North Texas	22	Classical Vocal "Chi il bel sogno di Doretta" from La rondine	Top 10 at Miss America 2010
2008	Rebecca Robinson	Buffalo	Miss Longview	24	Tap Dance "Hey Pachuco"		Miss Congeniality	Previously Miss Teen Texas 2000
2007	Molly Hazlett	Centerville	Miss Longview	21	Character Jazz en Pointe "Rich Man's Frug" from Sweet Charity	Top 8 Finalist at Miss America 2008	Preliminary Swimsuit
2006	Shilah Phillips	Plano	Miss Frisco	25	Vocal "I Believe in You and Me"	1st runner up at Miss America 2007	Preliminary Talent Award	First African-American to win Miss Texas title.
2005	Morgan Matlock	Lamesa	Miss Fort Worth	24	Vocal Medley "Come Rain or Come Shine" & "What Kind of Fool Am I?"	Top 10 Semi-finalist at Miss America 2006
2004	Jamie Story	Bedford	Miss Arlington	23	Classical Piano "Concerto No. 1 in G Minor"	Top 10 Semi-finalist at Miss America 2005
2003	Sunni Cranfill	Hooks	Miss Amarillo Area	23	Ballet en Pointe "Carmen Fantasy"		Non-finalist Talent Award	Dallas Cowboys cheerleader in 2009
2002	Mary Lisa Dalzell	Magnolia	Miss Lake O' The Pines	23	Flute Medley "Shenandoah" & "Dueling Banjos"	Top 10 Semi-finalist at Miss America 2003	Preliminary Interview Award	Morning Anchor at CBS affiliate in Tyler, TX
2001	Stacy James	Texarkana	Miss Lake O' The Pines	22	Vocal "Man of La Mancha"	Top 20 Quarter-finalist at Miss America 2002
2000	Tara Watson	Lufkin	Miss Hurst-Euless-Bedford	22	Vocal "I've Got a Crush on You"	Top 10 Semi-finalist at Miss America 2001		Previously Miss Teen Texas 1993
1999	Yanci Yarborough	Childress	Miss Hurst-Euless-Bedford	24	Vocal Medley "Come In From the Rain" & "Stormy Weather"	4th runner-up at Miss America 2000		Vocalist working with Fellowship Church
1998	Tatum Hubbard	Odessa	Miss Arlington	24	Jazz Dance "Hit Me With a Hot Note And Watch Me Bounce" from Sophisticated Ladies			Main anchor at CBS affiliate in Midland-Odessa (KOSA-TV)
1997	Reagan Hughes	Midland	Miss Lake O' The Pines	23	Dramatic Vocal "I Dreamed a Dream"
1996	Michelle Martinez	Dallas	Miss Dallas	23	Classical Piano "Ballade in G Minor"	Top 10 Semi-finalist		Owner of Metzger & Associates, marketing services firm
1995	Carly Jarmon	Mesquite	Miss Oak Cliff	19	Vocal "Stand by Your Man"			Previously Miss Teen Texas 1992
1994	Arian Archer	Borger	Miss Amarillo Area	20	Vocal "Almost Over You"	Top 10 Semi-finalist at Miss America 1995
1993	BaShara Chandler	Garland	Miss Northeast Texas	21	Piano "4th Movement of Sonata in C" by Alberto Ginastera		Non-finalist Interview Award
1992	Amy Parker[2]	Carrollton	Miss Tarrant County	22	Vocal "A Sunday Kind of Love"
1991	Rhonda Morrison[3]	Coldspring	Miss Lake O' The Pines	21	Vocal "My Funny Valentine"	Top 10 Semi-finalist
1990	Suzanne Lawrence[4]	Humble	Miss Humble/Kingwood	21	Country Vocal "Sweet Dreams"	3rd runner-up at Miss America 1991	Preliminary Talent Award, Quality of Life Award
1989	Leah Kay Lyle[5]	Plainview	Miss Haltom-Richland Area	22	Piano "Sonata Opus 22" by Alberto Ginastera	Top 10 Semi-finalist at Miss America 1990
1988	Cathy Castro[6]	McAllen	Miss Duncanville	22	Ballet en Pointe			First Hispanic to win Miss Texas title.[7]
1987	Rita Jo Thompson[8]	Lufkin	Miss Greenville	22	Jazz Dance "An American Trilogy"	Top 10 Semi-finalist at Miss America 1988
1986	Stephany Samone	Dallas	Miss Grand Prairie	25	Country Vocal "Stand By Your Man"	Top 10 Semi-finalist	Preliminary Talent Award[9]	Toured with the 1987 Gillette Miss America Show Troupe
1985	Jonna Fitzgerald	Greenville	Miss Greenville	21	Fiddle[10] "Csárdás" & "Orange Blossom Special"	2nd runner-up at Miss America 1986	Preliminary Talent Award	Toured with 1986 Miss America Gillette Show Troupe
1984	Tamara Hext	Fort Worth	Miss Arlington	21	Vocal "I've Got a Crush On You"	4th runner-up	Preliminary Swimsuit Award[11]
1983	Dana Rogers[12]	Boerne	Miss San Antonio	22	Vocal "An American Trilogy"	Top 10 Semi-finalist at Miss America 1984		Featured performer at the 1985 Miss America Pageant
1982	Gloria Gilbert[13]	Millsap	Miss Palo Pinto County	20	Ventriloquism & Vocal "I've Been Everywhere"		Non-finalist Talent Award	Previously winner of the 1981 National Sweetheart Pageant, toured with 1986 Miss America Gillette Show Troupe, longtime hostess of the Miss Texas Pageant television broadcast.
1981	Sheri Ryman	Texas City	Miss Texas A&M	20	Gymnastics "Theme from Close Encounters of the Third Kind	4th runner-up	Preliminary Talent Award[14]	Toured with Miss America USO Troupe
1980	Terri Eoff[15]	Lubbock	Miss Lubbock	19	Dramatic performance from "A Bad Play For an Old Lady"	Top 10 Semi-finalist		Actress, appeared on soap opera Search for Tomorrow.
1979	Lex Ann Haughey	Hurst	Miss Haltom-Richland Area	20	Flute "Flight of the Bumblebee" & "Flight '76" by Walter Murphy
1978	Sandi Miller[16]	Mesquite	Miss Red Bird Area	20	Classical Piano "2nd Concerto in F Minor"	Top 10 Semi-finalist at Miss America 1979
1977	Lori Smith	Fort Worth	Miss Haltom-Richland Area	20	Vocal "Moanin' Low"	Top 10 Semi-finalist		Toured with Miss America USO Troupe
1976	Carmen McCollum	Odessa	Miss West Texas	19	Saxophone Medley "Wabash Cannonball" "Yakety Sax" & "If He Walked Into My Life" from Mame	2nd runner-up	Preliminary Talent Award, Preliminary Swimsuit Award[17]
1975	Mary Ellen Richardson	Waco	Miss Waco	20	Classical Vocal "The Jewel Song" from Faust	Top 10 Semi-finalist
1974	Phyllis Barger		Miss Houston		Ballet en Pointe			Assumed title after Shirley Cothran won Miss America title.
	Shirley Cothran[18]	Fort Worth	Miss Haltom-Richland Area	21	Flute Medley "Bumble Boogie" & "Swingin' Shepherd Blues"	Winner	Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1973	Judy Mallett	Beaumont	Miss Haltom-Richland Area		Fiddle "Csárdás" & "Orange Blossom Special"	Top 10 Semi-finalist		Toured with Miss America USO Troupe; performed in halftime show of Super Bowl VIII
1972	Mae Beth Cormany	Wichita Falls	Miss Hurst-Euless-Bedford		Vocal "Misty" & "Come Rain or Come Shine"	3rd runner-up		Toured with Miss America USO Troupe
1971	Janice Bain[19]	San Antonio	Miss White Settlement	21	Classical Vocal "Il Bacio" by Luigi Arditi
1970	Belinda Myrick	Odessa	Miss West Texas		Country Vocal			Assumed title after Phyllis George won Miss America title. Toured with Miss America USO Troupe.[20]
	Phyllis George[21]	Denton	Miss Dallas	21	Piano Medley "Promises, Promises" & "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head"	Winner	Preliminary Swimsuit Award	One of the first women sportscasters on network television as co-host of NFL Today on CBS (1975–77; 1980–83)
1969	Dana Dowell	White Oak	Miss Longview	19	Trap Drum Solo "Caravan"
1968	Glenda Propes		Miss Rusk County		Vocal and Dance (Broadway)			Assumed title after Diane Hugghins resigned.
	Diane Hugghins[22]	Tyler	Miss Nacogdoches	20	Jazz Dance "Put on a Happy Face" from Bye Bye Birdie			Resigned after competing at Miss America.
1967	Molly Grubb	Fort Worth	Miss Fort Worth	20	Ballet en Pointe "La Périchole"
1966	Susan Logan	San Angelo	Miss Lubbock	19	Dramatic Monologue from Gone with the Wind	Top 10 Semi-finalist
1965	Mary Lou Butler[23]	Irving	Miss Nacogdoches	19	Vocal
1964	Lenda Varley	Fort Worth	Miss Fort Worth	19	Vocal			Did not compete at Miss America, assumed title after Sharon McCauley resigned.[24]
	Sharon McCauley[25]	Athens	Miss Athens	20	Vocal "Let Me Entertain You" from Gypsy: A Musical Fable	3rd runner-up		Resigned to marry state director.[24]
1963	Jeanne Amacker	Beaumont	Miss Austin		Vocal "When You Wish upon a Star"
1962	Penny Lee Rudd	Waskom	Miss Marshall	19	Jazz Dance "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps"	2nd runner-up
1961	Linda Loftis	Fort Worth	Miss Fort Worth	19	Classical Vocal "Sempre Libera" from La traviata	3rd runner-up	Preliminary Talent Award
1960	Mary Cage Moore	Laredo	Miss Dallas	18	Spanish Dance to music by Manuel de Falla		Non-finalist Talent Award
1959	Marilyn Turner	Fort Worth	Miss Fort Worth	19	Ballet en Pointe		Non-finalist Talent Award
1958	Mary Nell Hendricks	Arlington	Miss Arlington		Vocal "Getting to Know You"	Top 10 Semi-finalist		Competed in the 1959 Miss Dixie Pageant
1957	Carolyn Calvert	Austin	Miss Austin		Dance			Competed in the 1958 Miss Dixie Pageant
1956	Barbara Murry	Houston	Miss Houston		Vocal			Also competed in the 1957 Miss Dixie Pageant
1955	June Prichard	Seymour	Miss West Texas		Horseback riding and rodeo events			1st runner-up in the 1957 Miss Dixie Pageant
1954	Yvonne Erwin	Dallas	Miss Dallas		Piano & Speech about Interior Design and Art
1953	Paula Lane	Cleburne	Miss Cleburne		Fashion design & Speech
1952	Connie Hopping	Littlefield	Miss Littlefield		Vocal
1951	Glenda Holcomb	Odessa	Miss West Texas		Dramatic Monologue
1950	Margaret Sommers	Dallas	Miss Dallas		Classical Vocal "Jealousy"	Semi-finalist
1949	Ysleta Leissner	Fort Worth	Miss Fort Worth		Ballet en Pointe
1948	Bonnie Jean Bland	Orange	Miss Orange		Vocal
1947	Luna McClain	Lufkin	Miss Lufkin		Vocal "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" & "Cowboy Boogie"		Miss Congeniality
1946	D. Anne Wisener	University Park	Miss University Park		Vocal "Embraceable You"
1945	Polly Below	Galveston	Miss Galveston		Vocal	Semi-finalist
1944	Joyce Courrege	Orange	Miss Orange		Comedy Monologue		Miss Congeniality
1942	Jo-Carroll Dennison	Tyler	Miss Tyler	19	Vocal and Dance "Deep in the Heart of Texas"	Winner	Preliminary Talent Award, Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1940/41	Gloria Ann Byrns Evans	Port Arthur	Miss Port Arthur		Tap Dance & Baton Twirling			withdrew due to illness in 1940, returned to represent Texas in 1941
1939	Charmayne Smith	Dallas	Miss Dallas		Vocal "Round-Up Time in Texas"	Semi-finalist
1937	Alice Emerick	Fort Worth	Miss Fort Worth		Tap Dance	1st runner-up
1936	Patricia Allen Green	Corpus Christi	Miss Corpus Christi			Semi-finalist		*Competed at Miss America as Miss Corpus Christi
1927	No Miss Texas							Moselle Ransome competed as Miss Dallas and placed as 1st runner-up. Juanita Gilbert competed as Miss Fort Worth in the pageant.
1926	No Miss Texas							Rosebud Blondell competed as Miss Dallas and was a Finalist in the pageant. Also representing Texas were Winnie Law, Miss Fort Worth and Zasada Lord, Miss Houston.
1925	No Miss Texas							representing Texas were: Elinore Wilkens, Miss Dallas; Mary Louise Kilman, Miss Fort Worth and Edna Francis, Miss Houston
1924	No Miss Texas							representing Texas were: Vera Simpson, Miss Austin; Freeda Rowley, Miss Beaumont; Etta Mae Collins, Miss Dallas; Hazel Doolin, Miss Fort Worth; Lorraine Holzhaus, Miss Galveston; Mary C. Wilmot, Miss Houston; Katherine Hensley, Miss San Antonio and Thelma Kirsch, Miss Texas City. There was also a Miss Irvington who competed but whose name is not known.
1923	No Miss Texas							representing Texas were: Ruth Elizabeth Brand, Miss Dallas; Bessie Laurene Roosa, Miss Fort Worth; Gladys M. Webber, Miss Houston and Katherine Hensley, Miss San Antonio

In popular culture

In the long-running television show Dallas, the character Sue Ellen Ewing had purportedly won the title of Miss Texas in 1967, long before the events of the show took place (1978–91). She had entered the pageant as Miss Dallas.^[26]

In the band Bowling for Soup, the song Almost features the line, "I almost dropped out of school at fourteen where I almost made out with the Homecoming Queen, who almost went on to be Miss Texas, but lost to a slut with much bigger breasts."

References

1. ^ McFarland, Susan (2010-07-02). "Miss Fort Worth is crowned the 75th Miss Texas". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/07/03/2311475/miss-fort-worth-is-crowned-the.html. 
2. ^ "Tarrant County's Amy Parker wins Miss Texas crown". The Victoria Advocate. 1992-07-12. http://news.google.co.nz/newspapers?id=q4ELAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8VUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5559,2043334&dq=miss-texas+amy-parker+talent&hl=en. 
3. ^ "Arlington Coed wins Miss Texas". The Victoria Advocate. http://news.google.co.nz/newspapers?id=a8YcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=51kEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6519,1088231&dq=miss-texas+suzanne-lawrence+talent&hl=en. 
4. ^ "Miss Texas crowned in Fort Worth". The Victoria Advocate. 1990-07-15. http://news.google.co.nz/newspapers?id=rOkcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=11gEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6123,2793654&dq=miss-texas+suzanne-lawrence&hl=en. 
5. ^ "Plainview Woman 1989 Miss Texas". The Victoria Advocate. 1989-07-09. http://news.google.co.nz/newspapers?id=iEwcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UlkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6863,1673323&dq=miss-texas+rhonda-morrison+talent&hl=en. 
6. ^ "New Miss Texas Eyes Next Goal". The Victoria Advocate. 1988-07-11. http://news.google.co.nz/newspapers?id=664nAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RVYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3011,2066658&dq=miss-texas+cathy-castro&hl=en. 
7. ^ Lopez, Russell (1988-07-11). "Miss Texas a Winner for her Perseverance". The Dallas Morning News. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DM&p_theme=dm&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0ED3D000AB119C6B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. 
8. ^ Puga, Ana (1987-07-13). "Discipline pays off for new Miss Texas". The Dallas Morning News. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DM&p_theme=dm&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0ED3CF4855E60013&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. 
9. ^ "Early Winners". The Times-News. 1986-09-11. http://news.google.co.nz/newspapers?id=eV0bAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SU4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=2957,1927433&dq=miss-texas+stephany-samone&hl=en. 
10. ^ "Talent Selections Spice Up Contest". The Victoria Advocate. 1985-09-14. http://news.google.co.nz/newspapers?id=fJEqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wVgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3964,3742250&dq=miss-texas+jonna-fitzgerald&hl=en. 
11. ^ "Miss Massachusetts, Miss Texas capture honors". Reading Eagle. 1984-09-13. http://news.google.co.nz/newspapers?id=1gIiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_6UFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4301,1744086&dq=miss-texas+tamara-hext+-wrath&hl=en. 
12. ^ "Ambition pays off for new Miss Texas". The Victoria Advocate. 1983-07-10. http://news.google.co.nz/newspapers?id=DcQcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3FcEAAAAIBAJ&dq=miss-texas%20stephany-samone&pg=4244%2C2152993. 
13. ^ "Ventriloquist wins title". Gadsden Times. 1982-07-12. http://news.google.co.nz/newspapers?id=6qcfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WdYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2911,2011322&dq=miss-texas+gloria-gilbert&hl=en. 
14. ^ "Texas wins prelim". The Telegraph. 1981-09-10. http://news.google.co.nz/newspapers?id=fqArAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bvwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5502,2037719&dq=miss-texas+sheri-ryman+-computer&hl=en. 
15. ^ "Judge refuses to dethrone Miss Texas for exceeding time". Lakeland Ledger. 1980-08-02. http://news.google.co.nz/newspapers?id=OZAsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=NfsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3458,224890&dq=miss-texas+terri-eoff&hl=en. 
16. ^ Mattiace, Peter (1978-09-07). "Some go through 'torture' for chance at title". The Sumter Daily Item. http://news.google.co.nz/newspapers?id=kaEiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Q6oFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2983,835784&dq=miss-texas+sandi-miller+-vermont&hl=en. 
17. ^ Simon, James (1976-09-11). "Miss Minn., Texas favourites". The Free Lance-Star. http://news.google.co.nz/newspapers?id=8A4QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=A4wDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6607,1589084&dq=miss-texas+carmen-mccollum&hl=en. 
18. ^ Connell, Chris (1974-09-09). "'Miss Texas' is crowned Miss America". Gettysburg Times. http://news.google.co.nz/newspapers?id=n34lAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qfIFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1096,4621523&dq=miss-texas+shirley-cothran&hl=en. 
19. ^ "Miss Texas Crowned at Fort Worth Pageant". The Victoria Advocate. 1971-07-11. http://news.google.co.nz/newspapers?id=X1odAAAAIBAJ&sjid=e1kEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2146,1654115&dq=miss-texas+mae-cormany&hl=en. 
20. ^ "Names in the News". Tri City Herald. 1971-08-06. http://news.google.co.nz/newspapers?id=cr00AAAAIBAJ&sjid=GIcFAAAAIBAJ&pg=854,1134728&dq=miss-texas+belinda-myrick&hl=en. 
21. ^ "Miss Texas new Miss America". St. Petersburg Times. 1970-09-13. http://news.google.co.nz/newspapers?id=K98NAAAAIBAJ&sjid=sXUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7265,1285194&dq=miss-texas+phyllis-george&hl=en. 
22. ^ "Miss Texas Crowned at Fort Worth". The Victoria Advocate. 1968-07-21. http://news.google.co.nz/newspapers?id=rCUOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Rn8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3838,2588751&dq=miss-texas+glenda-propes&hl=en. 
23. ^ Cochran, Mike (1966-07-17). "How Miss Texas' Describes 'Indescribable' Year's Reign". The Victoria Advocate. http://news.google.co.nz/newspapers?id=3EMOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=sn8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=7181,1995088&dq=mary-lou-butler+miss-texas&hl=en. 
24. ^ ^{a b} "Gives up title for marriage". The Palm Beach Post. 1965-04-19. http://news.google.co.nz/newspapers?id=38QiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UrcFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3071,5532805&dq=lenda-varley+miss-texas&hl=en. 
25. ^ "Miss Texas". The Victoria Advocate. 1964-07-24. http://news.google.co.nz/newspapers?id=VXcKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=O0sDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3938,3193262&dq=jeanne-amacker+miss-texas&hl=en. 
26. ^ http://www.ultimatedallas.com/characters/suebio.htm.

27. http://www.nbcdfw.com/around-town/events/Miss-Texas-Turns-75-97414884.html

External links

• Miss Texas official website