1954

The last Miss America to be crowned before the televised crownings, Evelyn represented the end of an era. The daughter of German immigrants, Evelyn resided in Ephrata, Pennsylvania; located in the heart of the Pennsylvania Dutch country. Upon her crowning, her father announced, "This could happen only in America!" She went on to marry her pre-pageant fiancé, Carl Sempier, raising two daughters, six Great Dane dogs, and is now thoroughly enjoying her two grandchildren. Over the years, Evelyn has continued to be a great supporter of The Miss America Organization. Of the Program she says, "Serving an organization that provides scholastic opportunity to women nationwide validates my long and devoted affiliation." To this day, she is best known as an enchanting and captivating speaker.

In 1954, during the Golden Era of television, the Miss America Pageant was broadcast live for the very first time. That broadcast broke viewership records of the day with 39 percent of the television audience (27 million viewers) viewing the Miss America telecast.