Deborah Bryant
Deborah Irene Bryant (born January 29, 1946) is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Overland Park, Kansas who was Miss Kansas 1965 and Miss America 1966.[1]
High school
Deborah Bryant attended General H. H. Arnold High School in Wiesbaden, Germany, in the class of 1963.[2]
Pageantry
Bryant was 19 years old when she won the preliminary swimsuit competition and, the next day, was announced as the winner of the crown.[3] During her year of service, she spoke in support of "Project Concern" which provided medical support to undeveloped countries. She was the first Miss Kansas to win the Miss America crown. When she won Miss America title, her father was serving in Vietnam as a civil engineer with the Air Force.[1] The 1966 Miss America Pageant was the first pageant to be televised in color.
Education
After graduating in the top ten of her high school graduating class, Bryant went on to attend Columbia College on a full academic scholarship, during which time she represented Kansas in Atlantic City on September 11, 1965, in the Miss America scholarship pageant.
Following her year of service as Miss America, Bryant continued her education as an English major (B.A.) at the University of Kansas, graduating Cum Laude Phi Beta Kappa.[4]
Philanthropy
Bryant remains active in community service for numerous charitable projects. She was a member of the Mesa Desert Club, which provides scholarships to qualified needy high school graduates, and was also a past member of the Phoenix Junior League.
Personal life
Bryant previously married Roderick Wilson in 1967. She gave birth to a daughter in 1972.[5]
Bryant currently resides in Arizona with her husband, Brent Berge whom she married in 1975.[5] Berge has two children from a previous relationship. Together they had two more children and have four grandchildren.
Recognitions and honors
Bryant was named Kansan of the Year in 1965 by the Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas.[6]
References
- ^ a b "From freckles to Miss America". Miami News. Associated Press. September 13, 1965. p. 12B.
- ^ "DEBORAH BRYANT". American Overseas Schools Historical Society. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
- ^ Associated Press (1965-09-11). "Wins Preliminary Contest". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ "What Does Miss America Do When She Removes Crown?". Herald-Tribune. 1968-05-13. p. 4.
- ^ a b Tauber, Michelle; Neill, Mike; Russell, Lisa; Fowler, Joanne; Dam, Julie; Tresniowski, Alex; Miller, Samantha; Dougherty, Steve; Yu, Ting (October 16, 2000). "American Beauties: 80 Years". People.
- ^ "CyberCivics » Famous Kansans » Miss America". www.civics.ks.gov. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
Awards and achievements | ||
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Preceded by | Miss America 1966 | Succeeded by Jane Jayroe |
Preceded by Sharon Savage | Miss Kansas 1965 | Succeeded by Mimi Frink |
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- Margaret Gorman (1921)
- Mary Campbell (1922)
- Mary Campbell (1923)
- Ruth Malcomson (1924)
- Fay Lanphier (1925)
- Norma Smallwood (1926)
- Lois Delander (1927)
- Marian Bergeron (1933)
- Henrietta Leaver (1935)
- Rose Coyle (1936)
- Bette Cooper (1937)
- Marilyn Meseke (1938)
- Patricia Donnelly (1939)
- Frances Marie Burke (1940)
- Rosemary LaPlanche (1941)
- Jo-Carroll Dennison (1942)
- Jean Bartel (1943)
- Venus Ramey (1944)
- Bess Myerson (1945)
- Marilyn Buferd (1946)
- Barbara Jo Walker (1947)
- BeBe Shopp (1948)
- Jacque Mercer (1949)
- Yolande Betbeze (1951)
- Colleen Kay Hutchins (1952)
- Neva Jane Langley (1953)
- Evelyn Margaret Ay (1954)
- Lee Meriwether (1955)
- Sharon Ritchie (1956)
- Marian McKnight (1957)
- Marilyn Van Derbur (1958)
- Mary Ann Mobley (1959)
- Lynda Lee Mead (1960)
- Nancy Fleming (1961)
- Maria Fletcher (1962)
- Jacquelyn Mayer (1963)
- Donna Axum (1964)
- Vonda Kay Van Dyke (1965)
- Deborah Bryant (1966)
- Jane Anne Jayroe (1967)
- Debra Dene Barnes (1968)
- Judith Anne Ford (1969)
- Pamela Eldred (1970)
- Phyllis Ann George (1971)
- Laurie Lea Schaefer (1972)
- Terry Meeuwsen (1973)
- Rebecca Ann King (1974)
- Shirley Cothran (1975)
- Tawny Elaine Godin (1976)
- Dorothy Benham (1977)
- Susan Perkins (1978)
- Kylene Barker (1979)
- Cheryl Prewitt (1980)
- Susan Powell (1981)
- Elizabeth Ward (1982)
- Debra Maffett (1983)
- Vanessa Williams / Suzette Charles (1984)
- Sharlene Wells (1985)
- Susan Akin (1986)
- Kellye Cash (1987)
- Kaye Lani Rae Rafko (1988)
- Gretchen Carlson (1989)
- Debbye Turner (1990)
- Marjorie Judith Vincent (1991)
- Carolyn Suzanne Sapp (1992)
- Leanza Cornett (1993)
- Kimberly Clarice Aiken (1994)
- Heather Whitestone (1995)
- Shawntel Smith (1996)
- Tara Dawn Holland (1997)
- Katherine Shindle (1998)
- Nicole Johnson (1999)
- Heather French (2000)
- Angela Perez Baraquio (2001)
- Katie Harman (2002)
- Erika Harold (2003)
- Ericka Dunlap (2004)
- Deidre Downs (2005)
- Jennifer Berry (2006)
- Lauren Nelson (2007)
- Kirsten Haglund (2008)
- Katie Stam (2009)
- Caressa Cameron (2010)
- Teresa Scanlan (2011)
- Laura Kaeppeler (2012)
- Mallory Hagan (2013)
- Nina Davuluri (2014)
- Kira Kazantsev (2015)
- Betty Cantrell (2016)
- Savvy Shields (2017)
- Cara Mund (2018)
- Nia Franklin (2019)
- Camille Schrier (2020)
- Emma Broyles (2022)
- Grace Stanke (2023)
- Madison Marsh (2024)
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