Married for over fifty years to Lawrence Kenney, Frances Burke is the mother
of four children, and grandmother of five girls and five boys. A volunteer for
many years at the St. Francis Country House nursing home in Philadelphia, she
was also very active in the PTA while her children were attending school.
In 1995 she said, "The Pageant was the highlight of my young life. The honor
of being Miss America launched a successful modeling career, gave a jump-start
to my self-esteem, and enabled me to meet many wonderful people along the
way. My chaperone in Atlantic City was Ruth Bacharach, and we still see each
other quite often. The modeling was fun and exciting and it eventually took me to
Hollywood. However, the desire to be near my family in Philadelphia and to
settle down and raise my own family took priority over a movie career, and it was
the best decision I could have made. I'll always be proud to have been a part
of an American Dream."
