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The nine contestants in the 2011 Ms. Missouri Senior America Pageant are introduced on the stage. Here, runner-up Wendy Gordon of Florissant  comes to  the forefront in the competition, an annual event at the Civic Center.        Nichole Butler photo

(July 12, 2011)

Story and photo by Nichole Butler

After this past Sunday, I can now add “beauty pageant” to my list of Florissant firsts.

The 2011 Ms Missouri Senior America Pageant was held at the James J. Eagan Center on July 10. Nine women, including two Florissant residents and one from Hazelwood, contested for the title of queen.

Florissant resident Peggy Eggers was crowned Ms Missouri Senior America 2011, while fellow resident Wendy Gordon took 1st Runner Up. Merrily Woodford of Manchester was awarded 2nd Runner Up and the Ms. Congeniality title was given to Char Gestring of Bonne Terre.

As I picked up my reserved ticket and made my way to my seat, I really had no idea what to expect. My only exposure to the world of pageants comes from the show Toddlers in Tiaras where tiny princesses parade around with their pacifiers and temper tantrums looking like giant sparkly cupcakes.

I wasn’t really surprised, more like pleased, at how entertaining these contestants performances were on stage. All nine women were between the ages of 60 and 80; and all nine women had far more stage presence than I do while just looking at myself in the mirror at age 25.

There were four categories to the pageant – A private interview with the judges prior to the stage, Talent, Philosophy, and Gown. I watched each lady perform, and I listened attentively to their philosophies on life, and the stage glittered with their dazzling evening wear and sparkling jewels.

When Wendy Gordon stepped up to the microphone and said that “life is about choices.  The ones you make today will be the ones you live tomorrow” there was this little mini-me in my mind shouting “Amen, Sister!” I was hooked and ready to use this pageant as an opportunity to get to know these nine confident and accomplished women and take from them any wisdom I could grab onto.

It didn’t take longer than a few minutes to discover that these women were fun. They loved the stage. They sang. They danced. They joked about their eye-site and their knee replacements. They weren’t just there to get crowned. They were there to have a good time.

When special guest Ms. Senior America 2010, Kim Moore of The Virgin Islands and former St. Louis resident, appeared on stage dressed as Tina Turner and performed the legendary Proud Mary (one of my personal and all time favorites), I was smiling ear to ear with my camera in hand and elevated to a level slightly closer to Heaven.

Ms Missouri Senior America, Peggy Eggers, looked like she was born on stage. Her confidence and enthusiasm ricocheted off the auditorium walls as she introduced herself and said “I live in the beautiful city of Florissant, home of The Valley of the Flowers!” and later shared her talent in song with “The Stars and Stripes Forever”.

As confident as Eggers appeared, her sincere surprise and bright smiles when her name was called for the title of the crown was humbling and joyful. Sheer happiness radiated from within her and the audience was thrilled for her.

I was impressed by these nine women, not really because I was surprised by their talents or their philosophies, nor even because they were able to pull off some pretty swanky evening gowns. I was impressed because each one of them made a sincere impression on me to look in the mirror and be proud of whom I am, both in and out.

These women spoke wisely, genuinely, and from their hearts. Their maturity of mind was obvious, and their spirits were shining and bright and filled with a contagious excitement.

Watching them on stage, I told myself a time or two “I come from a long line of gorgeous, talented, and wise women. I could totally be up on that stage some day!”

It was not only their talents or their gowns that caught my attention, it was what they had to say about who they are that really drew me in and left me feeling fortunate to have a seat in that auditorium.

Each and every one of those ladies was a pageant queen in her own rite. They are all fantastic examples of what beauty really is. They all deserve a great amount of admiration from younger ladies like myself; who are maybe a little too shy and a little too hard on ourselves to go out there.

So thanks for the reminder, ladies, and thanks for the fun!

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