Every Past Fair Had Queen;
Many Still Live in Valley
A pretty girl, a long velvet
robe, and a sparkling crown
equal a very important event
of the annual Alaska State Fair
—the queen contest.
Every fair has had a queen.
Many Valley residents can
remember a fair during which '
their daughter, sister, or future j
wife reigned over the valley’s
harvest festival.
The crown was first worn in
1936 by the late Mary Virginia
Brown Morrison. Known as
“M. V.” to her friends, she liv
ed in Wasilla where her father
was a depot agent for the Al
aska railroad.
The festivities which the cor
onation ball climaxes each year
have been recorded only in
the memories of fair-goers un
til 1949, when the Valley Fron
tiersman was established. A
September, 1949, issue pictures
Miss Lavon Roatman surround
ed by huge Matanuska Valley
vegetables in Hollywood. La
von was crowned Miss Alaska
Statehood and won a trip to
Hollywood as the guest of
Crosby Enterprises.
In 1950, the fair queen was'
Lillian Loberg, now Mrs. Lloyd
Plumbley. The Plumbleys are
Valley residents, and Lloyd is
employed by the Matanuska
Maid, Inc. creamery. They
have four children: Nick, Jack, j
Ronnie, and Dale. Lillian’s
prize was $200 to spend on a
wardrobe.
The next year Joyce Hard
age, Mrs. Bud Billot, was
crowned queen and she receiv
ed a $200 prize. Mr. and Mrs.
Billot live in Canoga Park,
California with their four chil
dren. Mike, Colleen, Buddy,
and Cheri.
Rose Marie “Tiny" Vickary
ous reigned over the growing
fair in 1952 and was awarded
$200 to spend as she wished.
Rose Marie is now Mrs. Ray
DePriest. Mr. DePriest is a
Valley dairy farmer. They have
seven children, Edwin Paul,
Ann Marie, Linnus Anthony,
Michelle Rose, Raymond Lee
Jr., Gorgia Alys, and Thomas
Daniel.
Ten years ago Betty Blunck
was chosen queen from a field j
of nine girls. Her prize was j
$200 plus $80 for ticket sales. ,
BLUE RIBBON WINNER AT FAIR
A BLUE RIBBON AND a prize calf combine to make a happy
girl at a fair livestock show.
FRIDAY, AUG. 30, WILL BE KIDS’
DAY AT 1963 ALASKA STATE FAIR
Every day is kid’s day at
the Alaska State Fair, but the
youngsters will get special
treatment on Friday, Aug. 30,
Curly Sutton, manager, said
this week.
Events that day are planned
to give kids between the ages
of 5 and 12 the time of their
lives, and A1 Metz and Lloyd
Plumley, co-chairman, will
see that they get it.
If you’re just past 12, you
will still have a chance to join
the fun. A special event for 12
year old boys will be the
greased pole climb, from the
top of which will wave a $10
bill, waiting to be grabbed by
the first contestant who makes
it to the top. (The pole will be
greased between climbing at
tempts, to keep it difficult for
all.)
Cash prizes will go to the
winners in the potato picking
race, the sack race, the three
legged race, the ball throw,
the wheel barrow race, the egg
30 NEW BOOTHS
BUILT ON MIDWAY
Thirty new booths have been
built on the fair grounds mid
way for this year’s fair. The
building was necessary be
cause a spring wind storm com
pletely destroyed the midway
and caused extensive damage
to the grandstand and wiring.
New rest room facilities have
also been constructed.
race, and the hula hoop contest.
These events will be divided
into boys’ and girls’ groups,
with age classes.
Kids with pets will get a
chance to show them off in the
pet show, for which there will
be prizes for costuming, also
for the most unusual pet.
Youngsters who wish to take
part in these events should re
port to the grandstand at 1 p.
m. tomorrow afternoon.
Friday’s grand stand shows
will feature child entertainers
from glancing classes and from
the Clown Club of Anchorage.
CAMPAIGNER
On September 3, 1960, Presi
dent John F. Kennedy, then
benator Kennedy, made ms
first official campaign speech
at the Alaska State Fair
grounds in Palmer.
After landing at the Palmer
Airport, the President was es
corted to the fairgrounds by a
17-car caravan. He spoke be
fore a crowd estimated at three
to four thousand persons.
Before and after his address
Kennedy and other members
of his party, including U. S.
| senators E. L. Bartlett and Er
I nest Gruening and U. S. repre
! sentative Ralph J. Rivers, all
of Washington D. C., and Gov.
William A. Egan, mingled with
the crowd, shaking hands and
I posing for pictures.
I962 MATANUSKA MAID EXHIBIT
THE MATANUSKA MAID, INC. exhibit of 1962, designed
end executed by Mr. and Mrs. Stewart Durrant, featured
a horn of plenty spilling out choice Matanuska Valley
products.
| Betty is married to Robert
i Stapleton of Ashland, Kentuc
i ky. The Stapletons have three
children, Mary, Kathy, and
j Mark.
In 1964 Annie Havemeister
j Meehan wore the queen’s robe.
Her husband, Mr. Meehan, is
a truck driver and Annie is of
fice manager at the Matanus
ka Maid, Inc. Palmer offices.
The Meehans’ three children
are Jimmy, Steven, and Laurie.
Annie won $200 plus her sales
commissions.
Another Valley girl, Dor.na
McKechnie, smiled beneath
the crown in 1955. She is mar
ried to Lt. Robert Hites who is
stationed in Viet Nam. Donna
and their -daughters, Laurie
and Kathy, are staying in Pal
mer. Donna’s prize was $500.
Miss Matanuska Valley Fair
of 1956 was Sharon Dowming,
now Mrs. Gordon H. Fritz, Jr.
Mr. Fritz is employed by MEA
as a lineman. They have three
children, Deana Christine,
Howard Gordon, and Rebecca
Jean. Sharon was awarded
$250.
Enola Schiebl reigned over
the 1957 fair and won a prize
of $250. “Lolly,” as she is !
known to her friends, is mar
ried to Dan Contini who is em
ployed by Koslosky’s Depart
ment Store. Mrs. Contini works
for MTA. The Continis have
one daughter, Diane Marie.
A trip to Disneyland was the j
prize awarded to Muriel
Hanks, who was queen the
next year. Muriel's husband,
Ben Wattum, is employed at i
the MTA. The Wattums and !
their children, Scott. Lenora, !
and Kate, live at Eagle River, j
Pat Schaefer, Mrs. John Coy
ne, applied her $500 award
which she won as queen in
1959 toward her college educa- j
tion. Mr. Coyne will work on ;
his doctorate :n English at the j
State University of Iowa this j
year. The Coynes have two j
children, Jennifer and John \
Richard III.
Miss Sara Moffitt wore a
new robe and crown as fair
queen in 1960. Sara is employ
ed by Trend Coiffeurs of Seat
tle. This year she spent a two
week vacation in Hawaii, and
will arrive home for a visit to
morrow, Aug. 30. Her parents
are Mr. and Mrs. Tom Moffitt.
In 1961 a German-born Val
ley girl, Erika Kalwies, won
the title Miss Matanuska Val
ley. Her prize was a trip for
two to Century 2 in Seattle.
Erika is working at Carr’s
Food Center, Inc. in Anchor
age.
The Queen Contest was
opened to all of Alaska last
year and Miss Colleen Kendall
of Anchorage was selected Miss
Alaska State Fair of 1962. Col
leen, who is Miss Alaska of
1963, is preparing to go to At
lantic City, New Jersey as Al
aska’s entrant in the Miss Am
erica Contest. Colleen won a
$1000 scholarship.
Each of Fair
Days Designated
Naming and dedication of
each day of the fair is becom
ing a tradition. This year the
days of the fair have been des-1
ignated as follows: Friday,
Aug. 30, is Youth Day; Satur
day, Aug. 31, is Governor’s
Day; Sunday, Sept. 1, is All
States Day; and Monday, Sept.
2 is Carnival Day.
The admission prices for the
1963 fair are: adult single ad
mission, day or night, $1.50;
military in uniform, $1,25; chil
dren, under 12 years, $.75; pre
school children, when accom
panied by parents, free.
Season tickets are $3.50 for
adults, $3 for military in uni
form, and $2 for children.
These may be purchased at
anytime and are good through
out the four days of the fair.
1961 WAS FAIR'S
25lh ANNIVERSARY
In 1961 the Alaska State
Fair (in years past the Palmer
or Matanuska Valley Fair) was
25 years old. To celebrate the
anniversary, Bill Miller, fair
manager in 1961, designed and
had constructed a thirty-foot
tower topped by a huge cele
bration cake. From the one
large “candle” floated a decor
ative pennant publicizing the
25th anniversary of the Palmer
agricultural fair.
LOTS OF APPLES
Lopez Island in the San
Juans was leader in Pacific
Northwest apple production in
1910.
7
i j •• ;
U ii, L
4 BIG DAYS j
Alaska State Fair
PALMER I
i
FRIDAY, AUGUST 30
Youlh Day
SATURDAY, AUGUST 31
Governor's Day
SUNDAY, SEPTEMDER I
All Slates Day
MONDAY, SEPTEMDER 2
Carnival Day
MATANU S KA
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