The Miss America Organization Offers Condolences

Jean Marie Brownrigg Dishongh - June 30, 2011

Jean Marie Brownrigg Dishongh passed away May 14, 2010 in Cape May, New Jersey. She was 77 years old. Jean was Miss Atlantic City 1953 and the official hostess to the Miss America Contestants that year as well as the City of Atlantic City. She was the traveling companion to three Miss Americas: Debra Barnes, Judy Ford and Pam Eldred. She also traveled extensively throughout the country for many years judging various Miss America State Pageants and she was made a member of the Southern States Honor Guard. She loved the pageant and talked often about all the wonderful people she met during her travels around the country who were part of the pageant family. She was one of our most avid supporters. Jean was born and raised in Atlantic City and graduated from Atlantic City High School in 1951. She was a high school cheerleader and active in the girls sports program. She continued playing golf and tennis throughout her life. She attended Glassboro State College (Rowan), after which she worked and taught in the medical field throughout the Atlantic City area. Sadly she lost her only child, her daughter Denise, in 2008. She is survived by her granddaughter Natasha Kricker of Durham, NC, her grandson Nicholas Kricker of Burlington, NC and two great-grandchildren. Jean will be remembered as a beautiful, charming, caring friend who was very smart and so much fun to be with. She will be sadly missed by all who knew her.

Katherine Wright Hunt - May 29, 2011

Katherine Wright Hunt, a Miss Mississippi from Pascagoula who won first runner-up in the Miss America pageant in 1949, died on Sunday, May 29, 2011. She was 82. Hunt, a speech pathologist, also owned Marguerite's Italian Village restaurant in Pascagoula with husband Bill Hunt for nearly 3 decades. She died after a long illness, her family said. Her family moved to Pascagoula from Philadelphia, Miss., in 1943. Her mother worked as a nurse in a local shipyard, and her father owned a dry cleaning business. Her daughter, Liz O'Cain, said that getting a college education was important to Hunt, and she decided to enter pageants to earn a scholarship. In competing for the Miss America title in Atlantic City, she recited a dramatic passage from the Old Testament of the Bible in the talent segment, according to O'Cain. She studied speech and music at the University of Mississippi before finishing her degree in speech pathology at Southern Mississippi. She also later earned a master's degree there. In 1968, she moved back to Pascagoula and began working as a speech therapist in Pascagoula and Moss Point schools, O'Cain said. She and Bill Hunt, her second husband, opened and managed Marguerite's in the late 1970s, offering seafood and Italian dishes. She continued teaching during the day. At night, she greeted and seated diners at the restaurant. The restaurant closed after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the family sold it. O'Cain described her mother as gracious, charming, genuine and caring.

Wayne Sutter - May 7, 2011

It is with extreme sadness we inform you that one of our beloved volunteers of Mississippi, Wayne Sutter, passed away this weekend.   Wayne was a tireless and dedicated supporter of the Miss America/Mississippi Scholarship Program.  He served as the Executive Secretary of the Miss Mississippi Corporation, where he was also a member of the Board of Directors and the Salute Page Chairman.  Wayne’s love of the Miss America program was evident in his abundant and generous commitment to its success in the state he cherished.  His determination and warm heart will be greatly missed but always fondly remembered.   Wayne was a native of Sawyer, ND, where he attended school K-12 and graduated from Minot State University. He lived in Vicksburg, MS for the past 22 years.   He served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, retiring from the Engineer Research and Development Center as Chief of the Resource Management Office.   He was a faithful Christian and was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Church. He was currently a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Vicksburg, where he was a member of the Philios Sunday School class.   Our thoughts and prayers go out to Wayne's family, especially his wife, Tammy Folger-Sutter, who is also a loyal volunteer and supporter of the Miss America/Mississippi program.   Memorials may be made to the Miss Mississippi Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 742, Vicksburg, MS 39181 or to Jacob's Ladder Learning Center, Inc., 1017 Harrison St., Vicksburg, MS 39180.

Wayring Smathers Knight - May 5, 2011

Wayring Smathers Knight, the very first Miss South Carolina (1937) passed away on May 5, 2011. She was 91 years old. Born January 31, 1920, in Batesburg, South Carolina, she was a daughter of the late Horace L. and Wayring Wise Smathers. In 1937, she became the first Miss South Carolina. She graduated from Columbia High School in 1938 and Columbia Commercial College in 1939. On May 30, 1940, she married John H. Knight, who predeceased her. She taught dance at Roy McCulloch School of Dance and worked for the U.S. Department of Labor, the I.R.S. and the Department of Agriculture before retiring from the V.A. in 1980. Wayring, a member of Shandon U.M.C. and the Wesley Fellowship Class, enjoyed bridge clubs and her garden club and was an avid U.S.C. football fan. Surviving are her daughters, Patricia K. Shelley of West Columbia, Kathleen K. Hartley (Joe) of Columbia; grandchildren, Joy Rohrbaugh (Rusty), Susan Kelley (Kevin), Holly Clark and Nancy Kolodziej (Joel); great-grandchildren, Sloan and Sarah Rohrbaugh, Reese Kelley. She was predeceased by her sister, Virginia Day. She and her sister were talented dancers, appearing all over the state. Memorials may be made to Shandon U.M.C., 3407 Devine St., Columbia, SC 29205. Please sign the online guestbook at www.dunbarfunerals.com.

Maree Turner - April 13, 2011

Maree Turner – April 13, 2011 Miss Illinois 1947 Maree Turner, passed away on April 13, 2011. With her unique flair for original design and a heart for community service, Maree of Joliet, IL embraced the world with style, grace and compassion. Maree was just 13 when she started designing her own clothes. Immediately after graduation from high school, Maree worked as a third shift supervisor at the Joliet Arsenal while simultaneously studying at Patricia Stevens School of Design in Chicago. Her parents, although supportive, could not help with transportation expenses. So Maree also started waitressing to pay for train fair. Maree’s introduction to beauty pageants came when a relative invited her to the Winter Whirl dance at Lewis University in Romeoville and she won the “Miss Helicopter” queen of the dance contest. From there, Maree entered and won other pageants, including Miss Joliet. As Miss Illinois of 1947, Maree went to Atlantic City to compete in the Miss America contest. Afterwards, Maree enjoyed a successful career as a commercial graphic artist and fashion model. She also supported other teen girls in area fashions by serving as coordinator, instructor and commentator. For many years, Maree designed greeting cards and calendars at Gerlach Barklow in Joliet, She was a “hand model” for products appearing in national magazines. She designed advertisements for two Joliet newspapers, the Herald News and the Spectator. Maree also performed window dressing for local department stores. Maree immersed herself in the community where she worked. She was an active member of Beta Sigma Phi, Joliet Yacht Club, Joliet Catholic Women’s League, Joliet Women’s Club, Joliet Artists’ League, Joliet Chapter of Altrusa and Joliet Visitation and Aid Society. A memorial Mass will be on Saturday, April 30, 2011 at 1:30pm at the Cathedral of St. Raymond, 604 N. Raynor Avenue, Joliet, IL.

Eileen (McSherry) Scanlan - April 6, 2011

Eileen (McSherry) Scanlan For Eileen the only time housework came before sewing was in the dictionary. With her needle and thread she could make just about anything. The curtains in her home, much of her own wardrobe, dresses for her daughters and even pumpkin outfits for her grandkids were just some of her creations. Her keen sense of fashion was obvious from an early age. In 1938, she won Miss Atlantic City. Always motivated by her faith, she could usually be found reading religious books, was always active with the Secular Franciscans and gave to just about any charity she crossed. In her later years, she developed a strong sense of independence. At age 77, she took classes to learn computers and drove until her late 80s. As a young woman, Eileen was introduced to a friend's brother, named M. Ward Scanlan. By 1940 they were married. Before his passing in 1997, they did everything from running the Knights of Columbus dances in Palmyra to traveling to Paris, Switzerland and Hawaii. Their lives were blessed by their children: Eileen Rider, Kathleen Deighan (Dan), Suzanne Crowell and Christina Shuetz, and again by their grandchildren: Ann, John, Eileen, Eric, Dean (Cathy), the late Ward and the late Peter, as well as by Michael, Joey, Alyssa and Benjamin. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to St. Casimir's Secular Franciscan 260 Conrow Road, Delran, NJ 08075.

Catherine L. "Kitsy" Mangan - March 29, 2011

Catherine L. "Kitsy" Mangan, a long-time volunteer with the Miss Massachusetts pageant passed away on March 29, 2011. She was a former traveling companion and Massachusetts State Field Director. Kitsy's dedication to the pageant was shown in her sincere work with each of the Miss Massachusetts titleholders with whom she was involved. Her spirit and enthusiasm for the program enriched the lives of these women as well as the hundreds of volunteers who assisted in pageant activities. Born in Lowell, MA on December 27, 1946, she was the daughter of Albert and Helen (Maguire) Mangan. She graduated from Lowell High School in 1964, and from Northern Essex Community College in 1966. She worked for Raytheon Company for 37 years. At the time of her death, she had been employed by Enterprise Bank for seven years. She was predeceased by her parents, and beloved brothers, Ned and Matthew Mangan. Her survivors include a sister and brother-in-law, Deborah and Paul Flanagan; and a brother and sister-in-law, Albert and Jennifer Mangan. Kitsy had three nieces and three nephews, Elizabeth (Flanagan) Gleason, Carrie (Mangan) Ferguson, Stacy Mangan, Paul Flanagan, Jr., A. Patrick Mangan, and Trevor Mangan. In addition she had three grandnieces and two grandnephews, Kylie, Ryan, and Ian Ferguson, and Kylie Flanagan, and Margot Gleason. She also leaves two aunts, Mrs. Robert (Patricia) Gill and Mrs. Frederick (Kathleen) McCall; as well as many cousins and friends. As an expression of sympathy, in lieu of flowers, donations in Kitsy's memory may be made to the Catherine L. "Kitsy" Mangan Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Enterprise Bank, 222 Merrimack St., Lowell, MA 01852. ARRANGEMENTS BY THE FAY McCABE FUNERAL DIRECTORS, 978-459-9222. www.faymccabe.com

Patricia McRaney Hootsell - March 23, 2011

Former Miss Mississippi 1960 Patricia McRaney Hootsell, 71, died Wednesday, March 23, 2011, at Natchez Community Hospital in Natchez, Mississippi. She was born Sept. 14, 1939, in Laurel to Harold McRaney and Catherine Graves McRaney. She represented Mississippi in 1960 and went on to win the Talent Award for her art presentation at the Miss America Pageant. She received an award that allowed her to train at the Kansas City Art Institute. After graduation, she was employed by Tom Wells Company in Memphis, where she painted murals for the Holiday Inn Company in New York, Puerto Rico, San Francisco, Dallas and many other places. Pat’s art work is displayed in the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art in Laurel, the Mary Buie Museum in Oxford, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans, and the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C. She was preceded in death by her mother. Survivors include her husband, Sessions Hootsell of Natchez, MS; her father, Harold McRaney of McComb, MS; and her sister, Joan McRaney Felder and husband Richard of McComb, MS. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, March 25, at Trinity Episcopal Church with Rev. Walton Jones officiating. Burial will follow in the Natchez City Cemetery. Online condolences may be sent to www.lairdfh.com.

Robert A. “Boardwalk Bob” Fabbricante - March 17, 2011

Robert A. “Boardwalk Bob” Fabbricante was born on March 9, 1946 to Liborio and Anna Fabbricante in Brooklyn, NY and peacefully passed away after an illness on March 17, 2011. He attended New York public school and upon completion enlisted in the U.S. Army serving 3 years before being honorably discharged in March 1967. After his service, he came to Atlantic City where he found work in various jobs like Fralingers Salt Water Taffy Factory, Two Guys Dept. Store and a house painter. He then met the woman he would spend the next 44 years with -- his loving and devoted soul-mate Kathy. She along with her mother Concetta Rossetti were raising two young boys whom he fell in love with and raised as his own and added the final ingredient his little princess Anna-Maria in 1975 making for a perfect recipe. They would go on to have many happy times and make wonderful memories together. In 1975 he began his long career as a vendor at the famous Boardwalk Hall for numerous events over the course of 31 years including Ice Capades, Major Boxing Events, WWF Wrestling and many more. This became a family business for which he lead and became an unofficial ambassador to the city and honorary MC to the Miss America Pageant, which he loved. He will be forever known as “Boardwalk Bob”. He was interviewed many times by local and distant newspapers and TV shows for his knowledge and predictions of the pageant, and met hundreds of contestants as well as Miss Americas and people from all over the USA and the world. His hobbies included collecting old RCA Victrola record players and restoring them to mint condition. He also had thousands of 33 1/3 and 78 records of various types of music, loved model trains, was a talented artist and wood carver creating as many toys and other items, giving some to his children and selling others. He loved his family, country, and Atlantic City. He leaves behind the love of his life, Kathy, daughter Anna-Maria, sons Robert and Roger, sister Roberta and brother Ronald. Three viewings will be held. The first two on Thursday March 24 from 5p.m. – 9p.m. and Friday March 25, 5 pm to 9pm and the third on Saturday, March 26 from 9 – 11 am followed by a service and then internment at the Atlantic City cemetery on New Road and Pleasantville RR, Pleasantville, NJ 08232. Funeral arrangements and viewings will be at Jeffries and Keates Funeral Home, Tilton Rd. and Infield Ave., Northfield, NJ 08225. Phone number – 609-646-3400. In lieu of flowers, a donation in the name of Robert A. Fabbricante may be made to the Disabled American Veterans P.O. Box 14301, Cinncinnati, OH 45250-0301 Attn: Gift Processing.

Miss America 1943 Jean Bartel - March 6, 2011

Jean was born with a beautiful soprano voice that was Broadway bound. When she heard that a financial Broadway backer was going to judge The Miss America Pageant, Jean decided to enter. In a whirlwind of events she became Miss California and was off to Atlantic City. Singing Cole Porter's Night and Day - the press described her as a "gifted soprano" and she was named Miss America. Fondly remembered as the "War-Time" Miss America, Jean embarked on a Bond-selling tour and was honored by the U.S. Treasury Department for having sold the most Series E Bonds that year. It was on this tour during a tea sponsored by her college sorority sisters, that Jean's reasoning of a college scholarship to be awarded a Miss America was unveiled. Within two years, what we know of today as the world's largest single source of college scholarships for women was born. After she relinquished the title of Miss America, Jean's remarkable talent enabled her to embark on a singing career which included work on radio and television, two South American tours, the Middle East, Europe, Canada and in every State of the Union but Maine. Ultimately, her dream became a reality when Jean became the first Miss America to star in a Broadway musical Of Thee I Sing, opposite Jack Carson. Her television work included The Red Skelton Show, The Danny Thomas Show, Perry Mason, Robert Montgomery Theatre, The Ed Wynn Show, Stop the Music, The Milton Berle Show and Broadway TV Theatre. She's done additional television work in Paris, Cannes, London, Beirut, Athens, Rio de Janeiro, San Paulo, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Scandinavia. Jean hosted and starred in It's a Woman's World, which received a special showing at the Montreux International Television Festival in Switzerland and a special showing in Paris. Jean’s television and feature films included The Rockford Files with James Garner and The Debtors starring Michael Caine. Married to William ("Bill") Hogue for 31 years until his passing in 2001, Jean also operated her own successful international travel company Jean Bartel and Associates which allowed her to travel with some of her closest Miss America sisters, the Follies: Miss America 1948 BeBe Shopp, Miss America 1955 Lee Meriwether, Miss America 1957 Marian McKnight and Miss America 1960 Lynda Mead. Miss America 1943 Jean Bartel was known as the “Grand Dame” amongst her Miss America sisters and will forever be remembered for lighting the way for the Miss America Scholarship Program. Her gifts to us all are immeasurable. Her spirit of giving was evident when she returned to the 90th anniversary celebration of the 2011 Miss America Pageant with nearly fifty of her Miss America sisters but Jean did not have her crown for the official portrait. When asked why she didn’t bring it, she quietly stated that she had donated it to the Smithsonian Museum. Below is a note from Jean reflecting on our 90th anniversary that we would like to share with you, demonstrating her inspiring words and wisdom: “I would need to write an entire book before I could possibly relate all the blessings I have received from those early days as the “war baby” MISS AMERICA and I became the first to experience the foundation of so many new ideas that later Miss Americas have added and built upon. We all have been blessed. The Miss America experience has given me an opportunity to use my talents and hopefully to do some good. Think each day what you can do for someone else and be grateful to God that you can do it. Love, Jean p.s. "Love alone is life. When you are loving, you are living.”