Former Fairests of Fair honored as ‘Queens for a Day’

By Janice M. Howard / Style Editor for the Southern Standard

First Fairest Mary Lynn Hayes Mayfield, right, is joined at the luncheon serving table by Renee Pool, left, last year’s winner, and Christy Trusty Pawley.

Fairest of the Fair title-holders from 1957 to 2002 were invited by the pageant board to return as “Queens for a Day” in conjunction with the Warren County A&L Fair’s 50th year celebration.

Each of the former fairest winners in attendance was spotlighted on stage as she was introduced by 1967 Fairest Alpha McCoy Rhea and 1973 Fairest Denise McMahan Hillis. Lisa Ann Bush of Fountain City, Calif., 1983 winner, was commended for traveling the most distance.

The Warren County Fair has always been such a big event,” said 1958 Fairest Patricia Cooper Rogers, “and we are honored to be included in the celebration.”

The ladies were also guests at a noon luncheon given at the residence of 1966 Fairest Melinda Ramsey Womack, who had coordinated the delightful affair with 1964 Fairest Brenda Pack Blisk of Vienna, Va.

“Brenda is so well organized and I enjoy entertaining so I knew we could do this, even if we were located miles apart,” Womack said.

In the formal dining room, the table was heavily laden with an array of palette-pleasing salads, fruit trays and desserts. Seating for the guests was arranged in a large screened room with arrangements of fruit or flowers centering the tables.

Looking back over fair pageant highlights, they recalled that in 1982 there were 99 contestants and the board decided to present the competition in two age groups. That year, Katherine Denise Hall Brewer was named Fairest of the Fair and Angie Powers Tune was selected as the one and only Junior Queen in the pageant’s history.

While viewing a bulletin board on display, the changes in pageant gown fashions and hair styles were evident.

“When I selected a black gown to wear in the competition my mom reminded me that no one had ever won in a black dress!” recalled Jennifer Mullican, the 1993 winner.

Family connections were also noted among the attendees. Mary Lynn Hayes Mayfield was crowned in 1957 as the very first title-holder with her daughter, Lori Gene Mayfield Odineal, selected a winner in 1981. Sisters Karen Taft Hastings and Gwynn Taft Pearman claimed the top honor in 1968 and 1972, respectively, while 1959 Fairest Sara Lynn Hale Ramsey and Mrs. Womack, the luncheon hostess, later became sisters-in-law.