Miss America 1987, the 60th Anniversary Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 13, 1986, on NBC Network.
Although an entry representing the city of Memphis had been victorious in the pageant of 1947, Kellye Cash became the first woman with the title Miss Tennessee to win the crown. She is a great-niece of the singer Johnny Cash. Third place finisher Dawn Elizabeth Smith is the sister of a murder victim by Larry Gene Bell, who would be executed for killing her sister.
Results Placements Placement Contestant Miss America 1987 – Kellye Cash 1st runner-up – Julianne Smith 2nd runner-up – Dawn Elizabeth Smith 3rd runner-up – Kelly Lynn Garver 4th runner-up – Tamara Lynn Tungate Top 10 – Angela Callahan – Julie Anne Russell – Marlesa Ball – Kimberly McGuffee – Stephany Samone
Awards
Preliminary awards Awards Contestant Lifestyle and Fitness Missouri - Tamara Tungate South Carolina - Dawn Elizabeth Smith (tie) Tennessee - Kellye Cash (tie) Virginia - Julianne Smith Talent Michigan - Kelly Garver Tennessee - Kellye Cash Texas - Stephany Samone
Non-finalist awards Awards Contestant Talent California - Lisa Kahre Colorado - Carol Janson Florida - Molly Scott Pesce Hawaii - Cheryl Bartlett Kentucky - Melinda Cumberledge Louisiana - Amanda Mainord Oklahoma - Mignon Merchant Vermont - Michelle Shelley Dawson
Contestants
+StateNameHometownAgeTalentPlacementSpecial AwardsNotes AlabamaAngela CallahanBirmingham20Piano, "The Windmills of Your Mind"Top 10 AlaskaJerri MorrisonAnchorage22Tap Dance ArizonaTerri KettunenYuma21Classical PianoSister of Miss Arizona 1989, Tammy Kettunen ArkansasJulie RussellFort Smith22Classical Piano with NarrationTop 10 CaliforniaLisa KahreSalinas19Flute, "Carnival of Venice"Non-finalist Talent Award ColoradoCarol JansonBoulder21Piano, "Revolutionary Etude"Non-finalist Talent Award ConnecticutLorraine HudsonNorth Haven24Vocal, "Something's Coming" from West Side Story DelawareLori Ann ScottWilmington23Popular Vocal, "Love is Spreading All Over" District of ColumbiaKaren WatsonArlington, VA25Classical Ballet en Pointe FloridaMolly PesceLongwood23Vocal Medley from CabaretNon-finalist Talent Award GeorgiaMarlesa BallThomasville23Vocal, "Amazing Grace"Top 10 HawaiiCheryl BartlettHonolulu23Vocal, "America the Beautiful"Non-finalist Talent Award IdahoJennifer HoveyTwin Falls19Violin IllinoisLisa HeussnerPekin21Dramatic Interpretation, "Emily Dickinson, Portrait of a Poet" IndianaSusan SailorElkhart20Piano IowaDarcy BentonDelmar19Vocal, "Someone to Watch Over Me" KansasHeather Lynn ClarkBenton23Vocal & Sign Language, "I'll Never Say Goodbye" KentuckyMelinda CumberledgeLexington23Semi-classical Vocal, "Till There was You"Non-finalist Talent Award LouisianaAmanda MainordBaton Rouge20Vocal, "When You Wish Upon a Star"Non-finalist Talent Award MaineVictoria ReedFalmouth26Vocal, "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" MarylandKatrina OwensPikesville24Jazz Dance MassachusettsKathleen CallahanRevere23Popular Vocal, "Come Rain or Come Shine" MichiganKelly Lynn GarverFarmington Hills23Fiddle Medley, "Orange Blossom Special" & "New Country"3rd runner-upPreliminary Talent Award MinnesotaKristine FouksStillwater23Vocal MississippiKimberly McGuffeeMendenhall23Popular Vocal, "Inseparable"Top 10 MissouriTamara TungateSt. Peters21Vocal, "Don't Rain on My Parade" from Funny Girl4th runner-upPreliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award MontanaKamala ComptonHavre21Gymnastics Dance NebraskaDonna SchiefferColumbus19Modern Dance NevadaKelsey KaraLas Vegas23Flamenco Dance New HampshireLisa VandecasteeleSalem22Dance/Baton Twirling New JerseyKaryn ZoschePine Brook25Piano, Rhapsody in Blue New MexicoEmily FranklinAlbuquerque19Vocal Medley New YorkDawan McPeakNew York City25Gymnastics DanceLater Mrs. Texas 2001 North CarolinaKaren BloomquistDurham22Piano North DakotaBarbara KerzmanMinot23Semi-classical Vocal, "Love is Where You Find It" OhioMary ZilbaToledo22Vocal, "My Mammy"Sister of Miss Ohio 1981, Juliana Zilba
Later appeared on The Real Housewives of Vancouver OklahomaMignon MerchantOklahoma City25Stand-up ComedyNon-finalist Talent AwardPreviously Miss Oklahoma USA 1983 Top 10 at Miss USA 1983 OregonJana Svea PetersonNewport22Vocal Medley PennsylvaniaDarlene DeeleyPhiladelphia25Gymnastics/Dance Routine Rhode IslandToni LangelloWarwick20Vocal, "My Man" South CarolinaDawn SmithColumbia22Classical Vocal, "Je Veux Vivre" from Roméo et Juliette2nd runner-upPreliminary Lifestyle & Fitness AwardSister was brutally murdered a year prior to her winning Miss South Carolina (events later made into investigative documentary dramas)
Won "Miss Pageant Rewind" on What Not to Wear against two fellow pageant contestants South DakotaJulie HedinWatertown21Flute TennesseeKellye CashMilan21Piano/Vocal, "I'll Be Home"WinnerPreliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
Preliminary Talent AwardMother of Miss Virginia 2021, Tatum Shepard TexasStephany SamoneDallas25Country Vocal, "Stand by Your Man"Top 10Preliminary Talent Award UtahDonna ClarkSalt Lake City22Ballet VermontMichelle DawsonCharlotte18Vocal, "I Could Have Danced All Night" from My Fair LadyNon-finalist Talent Award VirginiaJulianne SmithYorktown21Vocal, "Golden Rainbow"1st runner-upPreliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award WashingtonMelanie CobbVancouver24Vocal, "Let's Hear it for Me" from Funny Lady West VirginiaShannon BarillCharleston23Jazz en Pointe WisconsinMara NesemannBrookfield20Gymnastics Dance Routine, "1980" WyomingLacy J. ReevesLaramie22Vocal, "You're Gonna Hear from Me" from Inside Daisy Clover
References
External links Miss America official website