Gems of Minden

Two Minden girls were in this Miss Lincoln Parish contest in 1957 while they were attending La. Tech. At the far left is
#11, Sandra Pullig; #1 is Earlene Mendenhall.

     Compliments of Earlene Mendenhall Lyle

Sandra Pullig Smith

Winner of the only Miss Minden Contest held at the Joy Theater

by Box Office and sponsored by City Merchants around 1954.

Some of us always thought Linda looked just like

Jane Mansfield driving around in her beautiful classic convertible.

Other's argued that she looked more like Marilyn Monroe. Whatever,

We think she belongs with the "Minden Gems!"

Linda Holt Morehead and her classic T-Bird

Linda Holt Moorehead again waving goodbye

This beautiful classic t-bird was destroyed when Katrina

hit New Orleans in 2005.

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Corky Marvin is introducing Miss USA Sharon Brown in front of the entrance to city halCompliments

of John Quade Photography, Minden, La.

Submitted by Quade Photography

Stan Quade is in the white shirt holding the camera taking the picture of Sharon Rene Brown





               Sharon Rene Brown, Miss USA 1961





Sharon Rene BrownSharon never went to school in Minden. She had come

                 to Minden fromWaterproof, LA in the early summer of my Junior year at MHS
                  She was Miss Waterproof and then Miss La Tech and then, Miss USA.

                   The last time I saw her was long ago in Minden. her hair was in pigtails.
                    My mother thought she was the prettiest thing she had ever seen. She
                    had two younger brothers who were twins, named Lary and Gary.

                                   Linda Holt Moorehead

                Sharon Brown was a Freshaman at La. Tech during 1960-61 during (1958-1961)
                cheerloader, (ROTC Sponsor Lagniappe Beauty. A two page spread honored
                her as Miss USA.

                                Miss Sharon Brown, Miss USA 1961

                                 Sharon Rene Brown, Miss Louisiana 1961

                                 Sharon Rene Brown, Miss Louisiana Tech 1961

                                 Sharon Rene Brown, Miss Waterproof, Louisiana 1961

                                 Sharon Brown, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Roy Brown

Eurlyne Howell, Miss Louisiana 1958

Photo by Bob Grambling, submitted by Greg Grambling

Eurlyne Howell

Photo by Bob Grambling, Submitted by Greg Grambling

1957 Ford identified by Larry Mays, photo by Bob Grambling, Submitted by Greg Grambling

Eurlyne Howell
Miss USA 1958

Marilyn Ann McKinight, Miss America went to Lincoln Parish in 1957

Picture submitted by Earlene Mendenhall Lyle

Mary Ellen Bailey named Ship Pin-Up Queen

Mary Ellen Bailey

This picture of Mary Ellen Bailey (with a different background) was seen
by the crew on the ship, USS Mahopac, and as a result the boys voted
Mary Ellen, "Miss Mahopac, "pin up queen of the ship. The seamen sent
the Minden High school junior a few vital statistics of their ship and, she in
turn sent them vital statistics of herself.

CREW ON USS MAHOPAC ELECTS LOCAL GIRL QUEEN

When Minden High School drum majorette drum majorette Mary Ellen
Bailey got her picture in the Review a few weeks back she had no idea a Navy
ship crew way up in Alaska would see it and choose her as the pin-up queen
of their ship.

But that's exactly what happened. The crew of the U.S.S. Mahopac got together
and voted Mary Ellen as "Miss Mohopac".

The sailors voted the Minden high junior their pin-up queen when they saw a
crewman's copy of the Review which ran the picture several weeks ago.

The picture was taken by Robert Grambling who somehow seems to have a
magic touch when it comes to dabbing into photography. Director of the Minden
High School band, he won two places earlier this year in a photo contest by the
Shreveport Times, and now another of his picture had capture an honor.

The crew send Mary Ellen daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. A. Bailey of 705 Buchanan
Street of Minden, some vital statistics of their ship as follows: 142 feet from bow
to stern, 32 feet across the beam, weight is 300 tons and has a complement of
44 men."

According to the crew members, the Mohopac has been to Alaska for seven years
of duty, and each man aboard serves 18 months aboard the ship.

In all fairness Mary Ellen feels she had to send the crew a few vital statistics of
her own, so she mailed them the following data: height 5'f", weight 120 pounds,
waist 23 inches, hips 34 inches, bust 34 inches, hair - brown, and eyes brown.

Mary Ellen not only helps the band but she can play in it too. She plays the
saxophone and the piano. Her hobbies are dancing and twirling.

One of her favorite pastimes is collecting miniature shoes - glass wooden, metal,
etc., and she hopes that the seamen who have adopted her as their pin-up girl
will help her out with the collection."

In case the Mahopac does leave Alaska, the crew can shop around for some
shoes for Mary Ellen in the various ports they visit.

Tuesday, October 6, 1953

Earlene Mendenhall Triple crown holder

Miss Civitian 1956

Miss Minden High School 1956

Miss Minden School 1956

      1953-2005 HISTORY OF MISS MINDEN'S OF WEBSTER PARISH

1953 - It has been over fifty years since CAROL WHITFIELD first won the title of

MISS MINDEN for WEBSTER PARISH. When she represented Minden in
the MISS HOLIDAY IN DIXIE contest she was voted Miss Congeniality
making her a triple holder since she had already won the Miss Minden High
School Contest in 1953. When Carol married Derald Kirkland

           1953 - second runner up, SANDRA GRAY HUNT became Miss Minden 1953. Had
she not finished out the term Keith Clement would have became Miss Minden.

          1954 - Betty Jean Davis Lumpkin, Carla Faye Green came in second and
Cortez David Cupples came in third.

          1955 - Trudy Ann Brooks Bishop , Carla Faye Green came in second and Annetta Baker Kirkland came in third

          1956 - Mary Jo Skinner Kirkland first won the title and forfeited two days   later .

          1956 - Annetta Baker Kirkland would have been Miss Minden however she forfeited to marry Gerald Kirkland which gave
the title to Earlene Mendenhall.

          1956 - EARLENE MENDENHALL LYLE. It was Earlene Lyle who crowned the 1957 Miss Minden.

Earlene Mendenhall Lyle also performed other duties of Miss Minden 1956...
Today, you might find her writing cemetery books and working to
raise money for the old Minden City Cemetery although she doesn't have anyone
buried there. She and Bob live in Alabama . I I ear they they may be looking for in Minden to build on.

           1957 - Marcelee Robinson Culpepper Jeanette Woodard came in second and then
                  Wanda Miller was next.

           1958 - Betty Rhea Deloach

           1959 - Mary Virginia Nethring Kennon

           1960 - Sandra Crockett Brown

           1961 - Becky McKenzie Leopold

           1962 - Elizabeth Ann Hardy Burnett

           1963- Emily Van Horn Wilbert

           1964 - Carolyn Reed

           1965 - Betty Lou Cunningham McClure

           1966 - Cheryl Parker Whatley

           1967 - Jeanette Zachry Phillips

           1968 - Karen Norman Van Horn

           1969 - Rita Tyler Carrier

           1970 - Judith Carter D'Angelo

           1971 - Ellen Sullivan Kelley

           1972 - Cindy Ritchie Walker

           1973 - Carla Powers Herron

           1974 - Melinda Morgan McMahone

           1975 - Karen McKinney

          1976 - Jessica Barkas Welch

           1977 - Jerri Ray dePingre'

           1978 - Janet Locke Clarke

           1979 - Kelly Higginbotham Warren

           1980 - Julie Curry Lamon

           1981 - Stacey Austin Gloer

           1982- Mary Beth Irving Love

           1983 - Joanna Byars Marks

           1984 - Terri Lynn McKinney

           1985 - Sharon Irving Gorman

           1986 - Majorie Blackwell McGowen

            1987 - Michele Beckel Corley

            1988 - Jeanne Dickson Patterson

            1989 - Angie Holland Woodard

             1990 - Allison Hanson Maxwell

             1991 - Amanda Hamm dePingre

             1992 - Heather Purtle

             1993 - Cathy Jamison

             1994 - Jennifer McGuire

             1995 - Asleigh Albritton

             1996 - Jodi McGuire

             1998 - Amency Waters

             1999 - Courtney Noles

              2000 - Jennifer Culpepper

              2001 - Megan White

              2002 - Jessica Tucker

Press-Herald photo/Kristi Richie
Miss Minden 2004 Nicole Poisso crowns Kara dePingre’ as t

of Benny and Jerri dePingre’. Below, dePingre displays her surprise of being announced as the new Miss Minden.

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If you have a picture of one of the above you would like to submit, please e-mail me so I will be expecting it.

Robbie Ann Kidd

daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Robert Kidd

& Granddaughter of

Mr. & Mrs. Billy Kidd of Minden, Louisiana & M. & Mrs. Roland Shilling of Blanchard, Louisiana

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Left to Right: Marsha Hoefeld, Mary Virginia Nehring, Denise Green and Diane Green (Twins

Mary Kennon
Memorial services for Mrs. Mary Virginia Nehring Kennon, will be held at 2 p.m.

today, June 3, 2002, at Rose-Neath Funeral Home in Minden with Dr. Ronald Price

officiating. Mrs. Kennon, a resident of Doyline, passed away Thursday, May 30, while at Dubuis

Hospital in Shreveport. She loved living in the country enjoying her garden, flowers,

birds and animals as well as managing her apartments. Mrs. Kennon was well known

for her vivacious, energetic personality. Her absence has created a void, but her vitality

has left a ray of sunshine that will never fade.

She was preceded in death by her father, Allen R. Nehring and grandparents, Julius C. Nehring

of Wisconsin and Dr. and Mrs. S.C. Cade of Many. She is survived by her two sons, Rodney Kennon

and wife Jymme of Bossier City, John Kennon of Minden; daughter, Kelly Gillis and husband Don of

Haughton; grandchildren, Brad, Steven and Jennifer Kennon, Jodi and Tyler Gillis, and Natalie Butler;

parents, Vicky Cade Fischer and Clarence Fischer of Bossier City; brothers, Steve Nehring and wife,

Sally, and Donald Fischer of Shreveport, and Greg Fischer and wife Karen of Atlanta, Ga.

Memorials may be made to Bossier Kids, Inc., 2125 Airline Drive, Bossier City, La., 71111, a foster care

program supporting needy children.