Ella Dee Kessel was 2nd runner up in the 1965 Miss America Competition. Better known to all of us as Dee Caperton, who later served the state as First Lady when married to Governor Gaston Caperton. A Ripley, West Virginia native, she held a degree in music from West Virginia University, a Master’s Degree in Education from the West Virginia College of Graduate Studies, and a Doctorate in Education from the University of Pittsburgh.

Elizabeth Lynch made history when she became the second Miss West Virginia to make the Top Five at the Miss America Competition. The Martinsburg native finished 3rd runner up to Miss America 2023 Grace Stanke from Wisconsin. As a result, Elizabeth won an additional $18,000 to apply towards her PhD in the fall. She is a summa cum laude graduate of Delaware State University and received a Master of Science in Food and Nutritional Science from West Virginia University.

OUR HISTORY

Although the first national contest to select a Miss America was held in 1921 to keep tourists in Atlantic City after Labor Day, it was not until 1923 that the Fairmont West Virginian Newspaper decided to sponsor a state competition to send an official state representative to the Miss America Pageant. The contest, which took place at the new Fairmont Theater on Tuesday, August 21, 1923, attracted a standing-room-only crowd. Ten contestants participated, and five prominent bankers attending the 30th annual Convention of the West Virginia State Bankers Association served as judges.

A dark, bobbed-haired, fair-skinned, and gray-eyed beauty wearing a gold lace gown and long jade earrings was named Miss West Virginia 1923 before a very enthusiastic audience. The newly crowned queen, Neva Jackson of Philippi, also had the distinction of being a third cousin of General Stonewall Jackson. Her grandfather, Samuel Dexter Jackson of Upshur County, was the first cousin of the famous Civil War general. Neva described her Miss America experience as being "Thrilled to the ears! I'm too excited to talk, but I'm certainly glad to be here. It has been one round of excitement after another; I wouldn't have missed it for the world.” At the time, Contestants competing for the title of Miss America often represented cities like Miss Philadelphia and Miss St. Louis. Neva was among the first to compete in Miss America to represent a state.

After Neva Jackson in 1923, Mildred Fetty of Clarksburg won the state title in 1933 in Huntington and went on to compete at Miss America. In these early years, records only existed in newspaper articles. Our recorded history begins in 1940 with Miss West Virginia Mary Bowles. No titles were awarded during the war years of 1942-1945; however, the state pageant resumed in 1946. In 1947, Joan Estep made the Top 16 and was the first Miss West Virginia to wear a two-piece swimsuit.

In 1956, at the request of MAO Executive Director Lenora Slaughter, Miss West Virginia Carolyn Miller spent much of the summer in New York City on a media tour with several other state representatives and Miss America, promoting the upcoming Miss America Pageant. It was only the third year for the live telecast, and it would feature the talent competition.

In 1970, the state pageant moved to Parkersburg under the direction of Executive Director and Producer Jim Smith and his wife, Betty. During this time, the pageant expanded to include twenty local participants. In the 1980s, a local television station began broadcasting the crowning during its 11:00 news broadcast. In celebration of its Golden Anniversary, the 1994 Miss West Virginia Scholarship Pageant moved downtown to the Rose Garden Theatre under the guidance of Board President Al Cox. Twenty-seven former Miss West Virginias were in attendance. For the first time, the finals were presented in a live telecast, marking the beginning of the regional television broadcast of the pageant, which would last for fifteen years.

During the next decade, MWVO would experience considerable growth. It gained the support of the West Virginia State Board of Education's PASS program, which funded the Miss West Virginia School Tour. In 2009, the pageant was broadcast for the first time to a statewide audience. The following year, the state pageant was joined by its sister pageant, Miss West Virginia’s Outstanding Teen Scholarship Pageant, in a four-night competition schedule.

The 75th Miss West Virginia was crowned in June 2019 when Martinsburg hosted the festivities for the first time in the competition's history. The celebration included a downtown parade with Carolyn Miller, Miss West Virginia 1956, as Grand Marshall, and a storefront window display featuring memorabilia of Miss West Virginia. The winner, Toriane Graal, was the longest-serving Miss West Virginia as her year was extended due to COVID-19, as no competition was held in 2020. The Miss West Virginia Competition returned in 2021. This same year, the iconic Miss America brand celebrated its 100th anniversary with the crowning of Miss Alaska Emma Broyles as the 100th Miss America. In 2023, the West Virginia Farm Bureau began funding the Miss West Virginia School Tour, and a permanent exhibit featuring Miss West Virginia’s crowns, gowns, and memorabilia opened at the Belle Boyd House in Martinsburg, attracting visitors to the museum from across the region.

History was made once more on Saturday, June 21, 2025, when Coutney Bearer of Morgantown, was crowned our 80th Miss West Virginia. The week-long event included a parade in downtown Martinsburg, a "GO-Red" Fashion Show to benefit Miss America's newest partner, the America Heart Association, an exhibit at the Belle Boyd House of Forever Miss West Virginia gowns, crowns, and memorabilia during the month of June, a second exhibit at the Jefferson County Historical Society Museum, and a special anniversary edition of our souvenir magazine publication.

As we enter our next decade, the Miss West Virginia Organization remains steadfast in its commitment to the long-standing tradition of awarding scholarships to young women to help them pay for college. By investing in young women, we are helping to foster the next generation of strong, confident, and compassionate leaders.

HISTORY MAKERS

To date, our highest finisher at the Miss America Pageant was second runner-up and a Preliminary Swimsuit Winner, Ella Dee Kessel, Miss West Virginia 1964, who later served the state as First Lady when married to Governor Gaston Caperton. Elizabeth Lynch, Miss West Virginia 2022, was named 3rd runner-up to Grace Stanke, Miss America 2023.

West Virginia has had two Top 10 Semi-finalists, Deborah Davis (1979) and Danae Demasi (2001), and one Top 12, Chelsea Malone (2015). Three Miss West Virginias made the Top 16: Norma Lee Salisbury (1945), who also won a talent award, Joan Elizabeth Estep (1946), and Phyllis Lee Walker (1951).

Two Miss West Virginias have received Preliminary Swimsuit Awards: Ella Dee Kessel in 1964 and Cindy Sims in 1993. Danae DeMasi (2001) won a Preliminary Evening Gown Award.

Eight non-finalist Talent Award Winners have been named: Karen Childers (1963), Lois Gay Ratcliff (1965), Judith Ann Shoup (1969), Dianne Barnett (1970), Mary Beth Derry (1974), Patsy Paugh (1977), Kari Safford (1996), and Paige Madden (2014).

Saundra Patton (1987) won a George Cavalier Award. Melissa Costella (1991) was a Top 10 Quality of Life Award finalist. Leah Lasker (1991) won a non-finalist Interview Award.

Three Miss West Virginias were selected to tour with the MAO USO Troupe: Elizabeth McVey (1973), Teresa Lucas (1976), and Andrea Patrick (1983).

Two sisters have been crowned Miss West Virginia: Patsy Paugh (1977) and Pam Paugh (1980). Miss West Virginia Carol Johnson (1961) had a daughter who competed in the Miss America Competition as Miss Missouri 2004. Two Miss West Virginias, Kaitlin Gates (2012) and Morgan Breeden (2016), also held the title of Miss West Virginia’s Teen in 2006 and 2012, respectively.

At the Miss America’s Teen Competition, Sabrina Harrison (2017) was named a Top 10 semi-finalist. Other notable achievements at Miss America’s Teen include Veronika Ohlinger (2005) winning the Outstanding Academic Achievement Award, Bethany Lojewski (2008) and Morgan Breeden (2012) winning the Community Service Award, June Braunlich (2014) being selected as a finalist for the Teens Action Award, and Braelynn Neely (2015) winning a non-finalist award in Dance.