Miss Missouri

Beauty pageant competition
the state pageant affiliated with Miss USA

The Miss Missouri competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the U. S. state of Missouri in the Miss America pageant. Hayley Leach of St. Louis was crowned Miss Missouri 2023 on June 17, 2023, at Missouri Military Academy in Mexico. She will compete for the title of Miss America 2024 in the Walt Disney Theatre in Orlando, FL in January 2024.

From 1935 to 1970, the Miss Missouri pageant was held in a number of locations, including St. Louis, Kansas City, and Springfield. In 1970, the pageant was held for the first time in Mexico, which would become the pageant's home. The pageant has been held in Mexico in all following years. Missouri has produced one Miss America: Debbye Turner (Miss America 1990). Three Miss Missouri pageant winners have won the Miss Missouri USA crown and competed in the annual Miss USA pageant, most notably Miss Missouri 2002, Shandi Finnessey, who won the Miss USA 2004 title and placed 1st runner up at Miss Universe. Sarah French, Miss Missouri 2006, is the only titleholder who has also competed at Miss Teen USA, representing Arkansas.

The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss Missouri titleholders at the national Miss America pageants/competitions. The year in parentheses indicates the year of the national competition during which a placement and/or award was garnered, not the year attached to the contestant's state title.

Year Name Hometown Age Local Title Miss America Talent Placement at Miss America Special scholarships at Miss America Notes2023 Hayley Leach St. Louis 25 Miss Southern Missouri Monologue2022 Claire Marie Kuebler Wildwood 21 Miss Spirit of St. Louis Vocal 2021 Callie Cox Mexico21 Miss Zona Rosa Vocal2019–20 Simone Esters Columbia 20 Miss Metro St. Louis Baton Twirling, "Turn the Beat Around" 2nd runner up Beacom College STEM ScholarshipFounded Writeous Girls, Inc., a nonprofit mentoring program that works to empower young women through the craft of writing2018 Katelyn Lewis Lake St. Louis 22 Miss Fleur De Lis Vocal, "Memory" from Cats 2017 Jennifer Davis St. Charles 23 Miss Jackson Bollywood Dance, “Naacho Re” 1st runner up Published author of children's book, Diversity Matters 2016 Erin O'Flaherty St. Louis 23 Miss City of Fountains Vocal First openly gay contestant to compete at Miss America Hale 22 Miss Gateway St. Louis Jazz Ballet en Pointe, "P. Y. T." Previously Miss Missouri's Outstanding Teen 2011 Pueblo 23 Miss Springfield Dance, "Steppin' Out with My Baby" Previously Miss Colorado USA 20103rd runner up at Miss USA 2010 pageantPreviously Miss Intercontinental 2011 2013 Shelby Ringdahl Columbia 21 Miss Springfield Vocal, "Defying Gravity" from Wicked Top 12 2012 Tippe Emmott Springfield 21 Miss Branson Ballet en Pointe, "Un Dia Llegara" 1st runner up at National Sweetheart 2011 pageant 2011 Sydney Friar El Dorado Springs 22 Vocal, "Dream On" 2010 Erika Hebron O'Fallon 23 Miss Gateway St. Louis Lyrical Dance, "Dream In Color" 2009 Tara Osseck St. Charles 23 Miss Lake of the Ozarks Tap Dance, "Sing, Sing, Sing" Quality of Life Award Finalist 2008 Lacey Fitzgerald Kansas City 24 Miss Gateway of the West Vocal 2007 Lindsay Casmaer Florissant 24 Miss River City Ballet en Pointe, "Piano Fantasy" 2006 Sarah French Columbia 21 Miss Mid Missouri Vocal, "I've Got the World on a String" Previously Miss Arkansas Teen USA 2004Named Miss Photogenic at Miss Teen USA 2004 pageant 2005 Stacie Cooley Liberty 22 Miss Columbia Jazz Dance, "Last Dance" 2004 Whitney Weeks Chesterfield 24 Miss Jackson Tap Dance, "Tico Tico no Fubá" Non finalist Talent Award Daughter of Miss West Virginia 1961, Carole Johnson 2003 Amber Etheridge St. Louis 23 Miss Northwest Missouri Vocal, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" Top 15 2002 Shandi Finnessey Florissant 24 Miss Metro St. Louis Piano, "Bumble Boogie" Preliminary Evening Gown Award Later Miss Missouri USA 2004Later Miss USA 20041st runner up at Miss Universe 2004 pageant 2001 Jennifer Hover Springfield 23 Miss Springfield Vocal Medley, "Somewhere" & "Over the Rainbow" Top 20 2000 Arron Wendel Lawson 23 Miss Ray County Modern Dance, "This Is Your Time" 1999 Patryce King New Cambria 23 Miss Mid Missouri Piano, Rhapsody in Blue 1998 Deborah McDonald Alton 24 Miss West Plains Vocal, "I Will Always Love You" 3rd runner up 1997 Michele Eise St. Louis 24 Miss Malden Gospel Vocal, "How Great Thou Art" 1996 Kimberly Massaro St. Louis 24 Miss Mid Missouri Tap Dance, "Favorite Son" from The Will Rogers Follies 4th runner up 1995 Erin Phillips Mexico 23 Miss Audrain Tap Dance to Gershwin Medley 1994 Ann Marie Sun Springfield 22 Miss Mid Missouri Piano Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship 1993 Amber Green Steelville 23 Miss North Central Piano, "Battle Hymn of the Republic" 1992 Stephanie Patterson Kansas City 23 Miss Aurora Vocal Medley, "I Have Dreamed" & "If I Loved You" Top 10 1991 Soncee Brown Springfield 24 Miss Lake of the Ozarks Vocal / Piano, "He Touched Me" from Drat! The Cat! 2nd runner up 1990 Sherry Traylor Mexico 26 Miss North Central Vocal, "What's New" 1989 Patricia Ann Meusburger 25 Miss Twin Counties colspan=3 Debbye Turner Mexico 23 Miss Columbia Marimba Medley, "Flight of the Bumblebee," "Csárdás," & "Can Can" Winner Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Previously National Sweetheart 1988 as Miss ArkansasLater a medical reporter and anchor for CBS' The Early Show 1988 Heather Smith Maryland Heights 21 Miss Columbia Baton Twirling, "Whistler and his Dog" by Arthur Pryor Non finalist Talent Award 1987 Robin Riley Columbia 25 Miss Columbia Ballet, "Overture" from Funny Girl Top 10 Previously Miss Missouri USA 1983 1986 Tamara Tungate St. Peters 21 Miss North Central Vocal, "Don't Rain on My Parade" from Funny Girl 4th runner up Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award 1985 Lisa Coverdale Columbia 24 Miss North Central Classical Piano 1984 Anna Schell Kennett 26 Miss Springfield Semi classical Vocal, Medley from The Sound of Music 1983 Barbara Webster Jefferson City 21 Miss Santa Fe Trails Violin Medley, "Listen to the Mocking Bird" & "Orange Blossom Special" Top 10 Preliminary Talent Award Later Miss Missouri USA 1986 1982 Julie Phillips Ava 18 Miss Queen of the Ozarks Classical/Jazz Piano 1981 Theresa McDonnell Florissant 22 Miss Trenton Vocal, "Let's Hear it for Me" from Funny Lady 1980 Carla LeFevre Harrisonville 22 Miss Kansas City Semi classical Vocal, "And This Is My Beloved" 1979 Susan Wilson Columbia 21 Miss Jefferson County Piano, Fantaisie Impromptu 3rd runner up 1978 Tamara Fister Poplar Bluff 21 Miss St. Louis Vocal, "Beautiful" 1977 Jayne Scherder Bowling Green 20 Miss William Woods College Piano, "The Firefly" 1976 Marcia Kolich Sugar Creek 22 Miss Jackson County Jazz Dance, "Everything's Coming up Roses," "On Broadway," & "That's Entertainment!" 1975 Rebecca Rives Stoutsville 22 Miss Kirksville Vocal Medley, "The Trolley Song" & "Over the Rainbow" 1974 Michelle Marshall Florissant 20 Miss St. Louis Vocal / Dance, "Sweet Charity" from Sweet Charity 1973 Terri Dodson Fulton 22 Miss William Woods College Piano, "Dizzy Fingers" 1972 Anita Columbo St. Louis 21 Miss St. Louis Vocal / Dance, "It's Today" from Mame 1971 Deborah Duff Kansas City 19 Miss Kansas City Modern Jazz Dance, "Big Noise from Winnetka" 1970 Marcia Mossbarger Brookfield 22 Miss Brookfield Tap Dance, "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" 1969 Frances Biesemeyer New Franklin 18 Miss Fayette Art Presentation, "Talk to the Animals" Non finalist Talent Award 1968 Kathleen Goff DeSoto 21 Miss Southwest Missouri State College Vocal, "I'm Gonna Live til I Die" 1967 Ronnee Brunk St. Louis 19 Miss Camdenton Vocal, "I Feel a Song Coming On" 1966 Janice Robinson Marshfield 20 Miss Southwest Missouri State College Skit with Piano, Vocal, & Dance, "Calling Billy Names" 1965 Lesley Fleenor Springfield 20 Miss West Plains Vocal, "Hard Hearted Hannah" 1964 Carol Browning Lee's Summit 20 Miss Lee's Summit Marimba & Accordion Medley 1963 Judith Engelhardt Affton Miss St. Charles Classical Vocal, "The Jewel Song" from Faust 1962 Sandra Lyle Springfield 19 Miss Springfield Dramatic Reading, "The Potion Scene" from Romeo & Juliet 1961 Sarah Burns Caruthersville 20 Miss Caruthersville Vocal / Dance, "Put on a Happy Face" from Bye Bye Birdie 1960 Dusene Vunovich Kansas City 19 Miss Kansas City Vocal, "Honey Bun" from South Pacific 1959 Linda Long Independence 19 Miss Independence Dramatic Reading from The White Cliffs of Dover 1958 Marjorie Critten Kansas City Miss Kansas City Tap Dance, "Opus No. 1" 1957 Sara Cooper Buckner Miss Kansas City Charleston Dance Top 10 Preliminary Talent Award Daughter of Major League Baseball player, Walker Cooper 1956 Roseann Teri St. Louis Miss St. Louis Dress Design 1955 Sharon Knickmeyer Synchronized Swimming Non finalist Talent Award 1954 Carole Wilkinson Maplewood Miss Maplewood Vocal 1953 Laura Holmes Northwoods Miss Northwoods Dance 1952 Florence Spack Clayton Miss Clayton Vocal 1951 Carol Romann St. Charles Miss St. Charles Bassoon 1950 Beverly Rotroff Kansas City Miss Kansas City Vocal / Piano 1949 Mary Stone Jefferson City Miss Jefferson City 1948 Dorothy Smith Kansas City Miss Kansas City 1947 Mary Jean Burke Vocal, "I'm a Big Girl Now" 1946 Nadine LaVerne Fugett Competed under local title at Miss America pageant 1945 Betty Ream Hughesville Miss Hughesville 1944No Missouri representative at Miss America pageant 1943 Emma Jean Adams St. Louis Miss St. Louis Competed under local title at Miss America pageant 1942No Missouri representative at Miss America pageant 1941 Leila Bell Wright Kansas City Miss Kansas City Multiple Missouri representativesContestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant Geraldine Koehler St. Louis Miss Missouri 1940 Gloria Kathleen Gipson Kansas City Miss Kansas City Multiple Missouri representativesContestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant Virginia Morrison St. Louis Miss Missouri Top 15 LaFern Mueller St. Louis Miss St. Louis 1939 Margaret Ley 1938No Missouri representative at Miss America pageant 1937 Mary Sue Klein Moberly Miss Moberly Multiple Missouri representativesContestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant Wauneta Bates St. Louis Miss St. Louis Top 16 1936 Margaret Price Lexington Miss Lexington 1935 Edna Smith Fayette 19 Miss Fayette Piano / Vocal, "Prelude No. 20 by Chopin" & "When Day Is Done" 1st runner up Edna Smith Glenn died at age 90 on June 10, 2007. 1934No national pageant was held 1933 Marie LaTourette Marks St. Louis 16 Top 18 1932No national pageants were held St. Louis 17 Miss St. Louis 3rd runner up Roller Chair Parade Grand Prize Competed under local title at national pageantMarried millionaire and theatre magnate, Fred Nixon Nirdlinger, twiceShot and killed Nixon Nirdlinger in March 1931 in Nice, FranceWas acquitted after successfully arguing act was in self defense 1922 Miriam Chafee Kansas City Miss Kansas City Mildred Hose St. Louis Miss St. Louis 1921 No Missouri representative at Miss America pageant