Miss USA 1961

Miss USA 1961
Sharon Brown
DateJuly 13, 1961
VenueMiami Beach Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida
Entrants43
Placements15
Withdrawals
  • Colorado
  • Hawaii
  • Minnesota
  • Montana
  • North Dakota
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Washington
WinnerSharon Brown
Louisiana
← 1960
1962 →

Miss USA 1961 was the tenth Miss USA pageant, held at the Miami Beach Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida on July 13, 1961.

At the end of the event, Linda Bement of Utah crowned Sharon Brown of Louisiana as Miss USA 1961.[1][2] It was the second victory of Louisiana in the pageant's history. Brown later competed at Miss Universe and was named as fourth runner-up to eventual winner, Marlene Schmidt.[3]

Contestants from forty-two states and the District of Columbia competed in this pageant.

Results

Placements

Placement Contestant
Miss USA 1961
1st runner-up
2nd runner-up
3rd runner-up
4th runner-up
Top 15

Contestants

Forty-three contestants competed for the title.

State/District Contestant Age[a] Hometown Notes
Alabama Suellen Robinson[5] 20 Fairfax
Alaska Judy Onstad[6] 21 Fairbanks
Arizona Shyrle Owens 18 Phoenix
Arkansas Mickey Lambert[7] 20 El Dorado
California Pamela Ray Stettler[8] 18 San Rafael
Connecticut Florence Mayette[9] 20 Hartford
Delaware Nina Lou Ringler[10] 18 Selbyville
District of Columbia Patricia Brunette – Washington, D.C.
Florida Peggy DeFreitas[11] 22 Miami
Georgia Patsy Giddens[12] – –
Idaho Delcene Kay Rossiter[13] 20 Pocatello
Illinois Dianne Duffey[14] 19 Elmhurst
Indiana Janice Kay Oliver[15] 18 Indianapolis
Iowa Deanne Ostermann[16] 19 Ocheyedan
Kansas Dixie Lee Cook[17] 22 Topeka
Kentucky Marcia Gale Chumbler 18 Mayfield
Louisiana Sharon Rene Brown 18 Minden 4th runner-up at Miss Universe 1961[3]
Maine Barbara Ann Dyer – Dexter
Maryland Gail Baxter – High Point
Massachusetts Elaine Cusick 18 Boston
Michigan Patricia Squires[18] 20 Dearborn
Mississippi Marlene Britsch 21 Clermont Harbour
Missouri Joan Roberts 19 Richmond Heights
Nebraska Gail L. Weinstock[19] 20 Omaha
Nevada Karen Weller 18 Las Vegas
New Hampshire Dianne Ellen Lipson – –
New Jersey Diane C. Giersch[20] 19 Red Bank
New Mexico Georgi Edwards[21] 18 Albuquerque
New York Alexa Currey[22] 22 New York City Replaced Marcia Banks as Miss New York USA
North Carolina Marie Clyburn 20 Charlotte
Ohio Alice Lou Engleman 23 Ashtabula
Pennsylvania Gayle Nelson 19 Chester
Rhode Island Joan Marie Zeller 23 Riverside
South Carolina Yvonne Quick[23] 21 Bennettsville
South Dakota Sharon Hoffman[24] 19 Harrisburg
Tennessee Anita Atkins 25 Memphis
Texas Sheila Wade[25] 18 Dallas
Utah Janet Marie Hawley[26] 25 Salt Lake City
Vermont Susan Nielson – Poultney
Virginia Bonnie Jones[27] 18 Norfolk
West Virginia Kathy McManaway 20 Princeton
Wisconsin Karen Reisweber[28] 21 Milwaukee
Wyoming Judy Larae Walton – Cokeville

Notes

  1. ^ Ages at the time of the pageant

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Louisiana lass is 'Miss U.S.A.'". The Tuscaloosa News. 14 July 1961. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Google News Archive.
  2. ^ "Louisiana beauty queen wins Miss U.S.A. title". The Times. Shreveport, Louisiana. 14 July 1961. p. 1. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b "German engineer starting plush Miss Universe year". The Spokesman-Review. 17 July 1961. p. 1. Retrieved 18 October 2023 – via Google News Archive.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Shapely 15 to compete for 'Miss U.S.A.' title". Daily News-Post. Monrovia, California. 13 July 1961. p. 2. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Alabama girl runner-up in Miami Beach contest". The Tuscaloosa News. 14 July 1961. p. 2. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Google News Archive.
  6. ^ Snapp, Thomas A. (27 March 1961). "Judy Onstad picked as Miss Alaska". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Fairbanks, Alaska. p. 1. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Mickey Lambert". The Times. Shreveport, Louisiana. 13 June 1961. p. 7. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Beauty winner". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. 24 June 1961. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Mastronardi, Pete (18 June 1961). "State has 2 Miss Connecticuts; third to be named this week". The Bridgeport Post. Bridgeport, Connecticut. p. 31. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Delaware's Miss Universe entrant: Nina Lou Ringler". The Daily Times. Salisbury, Maryland. 12 June 1961. p. 1. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Miss Florida". The Miami Herald. Miami, Florida. 30 May 1961. p. 20. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Happy Birthday". The Miami Herald. Miami, Florida. 8 July 1961. p. 63. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Miss Rossiter to wed E. Lombard". The Times-News. Twin Falls, Idaho. 22 March 1961. p. 12. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Miss Illinois". Herald and Review. Decatur, Illinois. 8 July 1961. p. 18. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Headed south". The Indianapolis News. Indianapolis, Indiana. 5 July 1961. p. 25. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "The winner". The Gazette. Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 27 June 1961. p. 26. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Multiple sclerosis queen". Argus-Leader. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. 6 June 1961. p. 5. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Exams coming". Bristol Virginia-Tennessean. Bristol, Virginia. 30 May 1961. p. 10. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Universe winner". Omaha World-Herald. Omaha, Nebraska. 10 June 1961. p. 1. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Diane Giersch Miss N.J. in Universe contest". The Daily Record. Long Branch, New Jersey. 12 June 1961. p. 1. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "Good luck". The Albuquerque Tribune. Albuquerque, New Mexico. 6 July 1961. p. 1. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "Ex-runner up". Press and Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, New York. 9 June 1961. p. 18. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "S.C. Miss Universe to compete in Miami". Herald-Journal. Spartanburg, South Carolina. 2 July 1961. pp. A3. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Google News Archive.
  24. ^ "Miss Universe of S.D." Argus-Leader. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. 15 June 1961. p. 1. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "Miss Texas". The Tampa Tribune. Tampa, Florida. 12 June 1961. p. 9. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "Utah beauty poises for big contests". The Salt Lake Tribune. Salt Lake City, Utah. 14 June 1961. p. 26. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "Norfolk beauty, 18, in Miami contest". The Virginian-Pilot. Norfolk, Virginia. 8 July 1961. p. 24. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ "The La Crosse Tribune". La Crosse, Wisconsin. 11 June 1961. p. 1. Retrieved 22 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.