The Kerr-McGee Centennial Plaza on the southeast corner of the Oklahoma City University campus was constructed in 2004 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of OCU. The plaza features a bronze statue honoring OCU's three Miss America pageant winners; Jane Jayroe, Susan Powell and Shawntel Smith. All three are currently alive and well.
From Wikipedia
Jane Anne Jayroe was born on October 30, 1947 to Pete Jayroe and Helene Smith Jayroe in Clinton, Oklahoma. Jane grew up in Sentinel and Laverne, Oklahoma. She has one older sister, a teacher and mother of three in Follett, Texas, Judith Jayroe Wieser Elmore.
Miss America
As a student at Oklahoma City University, she entered the University’s pageant through her sorority, Alpha Chi Omega, and then went on to win the Miss Oklahoma Pageant. Then, at the age of 19, and with no previous pageant experience, Jane was crowned Miss America, 1967. She sang and conducted the orchestra for her talent.
After being crowned Miss America 1967, Jane traveled all around the world and was even able to travel to Vietnam to entertain America’s troops abroad.
Professional career
News industry
Jane became a well-recognized and respected primetime news anchor for KOCO and KTVY (now KFOR-TV) in Oklahoma City and KXAS in Dallas/Fort Worth. She won several awards during her 16-year career including the first female to be awarded “Outstanding News Personality” in the Dallas-Fort Worth television market. She also hosted a health-related public affairs show, "Health Matters" on Oklahoma's PBS network, OETA. Jayroe later went on to co-host a popular television show, Discover Oklahoma promoting tourism within the state of Oklahoma.
Health advocacy
In 1992, Jayroe become the first spokesperson for the Oklahoma Health Center and Vice President of the Presbyterian Health Foundation.
Civic work
She was the first woman elected Chairman of the Oklahoma Academy for State Goals and is on executive committees for the University of Oklahoma Breast Health Institute, Oklahoma City University Board of Trustees and the Oklahoma Health Center Foundation. As a member of the United Methodist Church Church of the Servant in Oklahoma City, Jayroe is on the Women's Ministries Team and a board member for the Education and Employment Ministries. She has taken an active role in issues affecting young people, serving as honorary chair for the Conference on Teen Pregnancy, Youth Arts Month and the Oklahoma Parents and Teachers Association. She is a former trustee for the Sarkey's Foundation.
Government service
Governor of Oklahoma George Nigh appointed Jayroe to the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women, Governor David Walters appointed her to the Oklahoma Board on Legislative Compensation.
Keating Administration
Following his reelection as Governor, Frank Keating appointed Jayroe as his Secretary of Tourism and Recreation. In addition to her service as Tourism Secretary, Keating appointed Jayroe to serve as the Director of the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation.
Literary work
Jayroe is the author of several articles appearing in McCall's and other publications such as Out of the Blue, Delight Comes Into Your Life and Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul. She was producer for "Daily Devotionals," A set of audiocassettes by area ministers and laypeople and recently created a seminar for women titled, Living Grace-fully.
Her most current publications include More Grace Than Glamour: My Life as Miss America and Beyond, and Oklahoma 3, a book published for the Centennial year of Oklahoma’s statehood and portraying the diversity of the state.
Personal life
Jane Jayroe Gamble currently resides with her husband, Gerald Gamble, in Oklahoma City.
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Susan Powell (born 1959) is an American actress, singer, and television personality. A native of Elk City, Oklahoma, Powell began her career as a successful beauty pageant contestant, winning the Miss Oklahoma pageant in 1980 and proceeded to the Miss America crown for the year 1981. A coloratura soprano, she has performed in musical theater and on opera stages around the world. In 1993, Powell embarked on a new television career, becoming the co-host of Discovery Channel's Home Matters home and garden program in 1993.
Biography
Powell was born and raised in Elk City, Oklahoma, an 8,000 resident town driven by farming, ranching and oil production. Early on, Powell discovered a talent for singing and with the encouragement of her family, pursued it. As a child she sang in local venues, at church functions, and solo singing competitions.
She attended Oklahoma City University, where she studied vocal music under Florence Birdwell and performed in summer stock at the Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma.
After first being crowned Miss Oklahoma, Powell won the 1981 national competition, being named Miss America in September 1980.
After her one-year reign, Powell embarked on a singing career, debuting with Seattle Opera in the role of Adele in Die Fledermaus. Calling her performance the "major surprise of the evening" a reviewer from Opera Canada praised "her sparkling stage personality" and pronounced her technique as "fully up to Adele's coloratura requirements." Powell's opera career took her to the New York City Opera to the New Japan Philharmonic. She has sung as a soloist for John Williams and the Boston Pops.
In 1993, Powell introduced the television series Home Matters on the Discovery Channel, which she hosted for nine seasons. Powell continues to tour and lecture, continuing to assist in local preliminary Miss America contests, and being one of the judges for the Miss America pageant in 2007. In 2002, Powell was recognized by the Oklahoma Hall of Fame as an Ambassador of Good Will from the state for the second time, the first such recognition occurring in 1981.
Powell performed on the television program Don't Forget the Lyrics in the episode of December 12, 2008, appearing along with Heather French Henry (Miss America 2000) and Kirsten Haglund (Miss America 2008).
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Shawntel Smith (Wuerch) (born September 16, 1971) is an American beauty pageant contestant, who was Miss America in 1996. She was born in Muldrow, Oklahoma. She attended Oklahoma City University. She is currently still alive, believed to be single. Her present residence is not public knowledge.