Evelyn Margaret Ay
Encyclopedia
Evelyn Margaret Ay Sempier (8 March 1933 – 18 October 2008) was winner of the 1954 Miss America
beauty pageant.
immigrants
in Ephrata, Pennsylvania
.
She had a short but successful career in smaller beauty contest
s. As Miss Ephrata Fair and Tobacco Queen of Lancaster County
in 1950, she wore a crown that looked like tobacco
leaves. After graduating from Ephrata High School
in 1951, she won the titles of Miss Pennsylvania AMVET
and the Miss National AMVET in 1952, as well as the Miss Pennsylvania
title in 1953. Sempier was selected Miss America at the last year before the pageant was televised.
In a 1993 interview, "Evvy" said she was surprised at her victories. "That was the ultimate role model, like being Doris Day
in real life." She embarked on her career as a favor to a friend who was trying to promote a pageant for the Junior Chamber International
(JayCees). She traveled 270000 miles (434,522 km) during her yearlong reign, and remained active with the pageant for many years, judging many local pageants and the national Miss America contest in 1981.
Shortly after passing on the Miss America crown, she married Carl G. Sempier, a Navy veteran and corporate executive on 13 November 1954, and had two children. Mr. Semper died in 2007.
Sempier officially introduced the Nash Metropolitan
at the 1954 Chicago Auto Show
. She was a spokesperson for Nash Motors
in promoting the first American car that was marketed specifically to women. She described her marketing for Nash as the finest among her 40-years of commercial relationships, and the company was "most generous in sponsoring Miss America in many parts of America."
Over the course of the 1960s, '70s, '80s and '90s, she made frequent appearances as a motivational speaker to women's and business groups.
Sempier died on October 18, 2008 of colorectal cancer
. She remains the only Miss Pennsylvania
to win the national pageant.
"She was a class act through and through ... A wonderful lady..."
, as well as to "recognize contestants who excel in their commitment to community service".
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
beauty pageant.
Biography
Evelyn Ay Sempier was born the daughter of GermanGermans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
immigrants
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
in Ephrata, Pennsylvania
Ephrata, Pennsylvania
Ephrata is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States, south east of Harrisburg and about west by north of Philadelphia. It is named after Ephrath, a biblical town in what is now Israel. Ephrata's sister city is Eberbach, Germany, the city where its founders originated. In its...
.
She had a short but successful career in smaller beauty contest
Beauty contest
A beauty pageant or beauty contest, is a competition that mainly focuses on the physical beauty of its contestants, although such contests often incorporate personality, talent, and answers to judges' questions as judged criteria...
s. As Miss Ephrata Fair and Tobacco Queen of Lancaster County
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, known as the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010 the population was 519,445. Lancaster County forms the Lancaster Metropolitan Statistical Area, the...
in 1950, she wore a crown that looked like tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
leaves. After graduating from Ephrata High School
Ephrata High School
Ephrata High School is a rural, public secondary school in the Ephrata Area School District located in Ephrata, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.-Graduation Rate:...
in 1951, she won the titles of Miss Pennsylvania AMVET
AMVETS
AMVETS or American Veterans is a volunteer-led organization formed by World War II veterans which accepts honorably discharged veterans as members....
and the Miss National AMVET in 1952, as well as the Miss Pennsylvania
Miss Pennsylvania
The Miss Pennsylvania competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Pennsylvania in the Miss America Pageant. Pennsylvania, including early years' city representatives, has won the Miss American crown on 5 occasions....
title in 1953. Sempier was selected Miss America at the last year before the pageant was televised.
In a 1993 interview, "Evvy" said she was surprised at her victories. "That was the ultimate role model, like being Doris Day
Doris Day
Doris Day is an American actress, singer and, since her retirement from show business, an animal rights activist. With an entertainment career that spanned through almost 50 years, Day started her career as a big band singer in 1939, but only began to be noticed after her first hit recording,...
in real life." She embarked on her career as a favor to a friend who was trying to promote a pageant for the Junior Chamber International
Junior Chamber International
Junior Chamber International is the only worldwide non-political and non-sectarian youth service organization. It is an international community of citizens between the ages of to with the aim and purpose of creating positive changes in the world...
(JayCees). She traveled 270000 miles (434,522 km) during her yearlong reign, and remained active with the pageant for many years, judging many local pageants and the national Miss America contest in 1981.
Shortly after passing on the Miss America crown, she married Carl G. Sempier, a Navy veteran and corporate executive on 13 November 1954, and had two children. Mr. Semper died in 2007.
Sempier officially introduced the Nash Metropolitan
Nash Metropolitan
The Nash Metropolitan is a car that was sold, initially only in the United States and Canada, from 1954–1962.It conforms to two classes of vehicle: economy car and subcompact car. In today’s terminology the Metropolitan is a “subcompact”, but this category had not yet come into use when the car was...
at the 1954 Chicago Auto Show
Chicago Auto Show
The Chicago Auto Show is held annually in February at Chicago's McCormick Placeconvention complex. It is among the largest auto shows in North America....
. She was a spokesperson for Nash Motors
Nash Motors
Also see: Kelvinator and American Motors CorporationNash Motors was an automobile manufacturer based in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in the United States from 1916 to 1938. From 1938 to 1954, Nash was the automotive division of the Nash-Kelvinator Corporation...
in promoting the first American car that was marketed specifically to women. She described her marketing for Nash as the finest among her 40-years of commercial relationships, and the company was "most generous in sponsoring Miss America in many parts of America."
Over the course of the 1960s, '70s, '80s and '90s, she made frequent appearances as a motivational speaker to women's and business groups.
Sempier died on October 18, 2008 of colorectal cancer
Colorectal cancer
Colorectal cancer, commonly known as bowel cancer, is a cancer caused by uncontrolled cell growth , in the colon, rectum, or vermiform appendix. Colorectal cancer is clinically distinct from anal cancer, which affects the anus....
. She remains the only Miss Pennsylvania
Miss Pennsylvania
The Miss Pennsylvania competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Pennsylvania in the Miss America Pageant. Pennsylvania, including early years' city representatives, has won the Miss American crown on 5 occasions....
to win the national pageant.
"She was a class act through and through ... A wonderful lady..."
Evelyn Ay Sempier Quality of Life Award
The "Evelyn Ay Sempier Quality of Life Award" was established to honor the 1954 pageant winner. The award was introduced in 1988, and is given to select Miss America contestants involved with the Children's Miracle NetworkChildren's Miracle Network
The Children's Miracle Network Hospitals is an international non-profit organization that raises funds for children's hospitals, medical research and community awareness of children's health issues. The organization, founded in 1982 by the Osmond family and John Schneider, is headquartered in...
, as well as to "recognize contestants who excel in their commitment to community service".