Karen Morrison
Encyclopedia
Karen Jean Morrison-Comstock (born c
. 1955) is a beauty queen from St. Charles
, Illinois
who held the Miss USA
1974 title.
pageant at the suggestion of her modeling agency who owned the franchise and her sister who encouraged her to participate. Paula Zahn, an acquaintance of Comstock also competed and placed in the top five. She won and a month later represented her state in the Miss USA
pageant, held in Niagara Falls, New York
on May 18, 1974. Comstock won the nationally televised pageant and was crowned by Amanda Jones
, also of Illinois. Her prize winnings included $7,500 cash, a $7,500 appearance contract, $3,000 in scholarships as well as a new car, color television, stereo and clothing. At the time Comstock was one of the tallest contestants ever to win a major beauty pageant.
Comstock represented the United States
in the Miss Universe
pageant broadcast from Manila
in the Philippines
two months after winning her national title. This was only the third time that the pageant had been held outside the United States, and the first held in Asia. Continuing the strong history of the United States in this pageant, Comstock placed in the semi-finals. The pageant was won by Amparo Muñoz
of Spain
.
During her reign she traveled extensively and met celebrities, including Jack Lemmon
, Bobby Vinton
, Omar Shariff and Joe Namath
.
. She was a freshman at the University of Wisconsin when she won the Miss USA title but left to pursue modeling in New York City
. In 1976 she returned home to Illinois, embraced fundamentalist protestant Christianity
and toured the United States representing a non-profit organization called Sharing Ministries.
She later married Gordon Comstock and has four children.
Circa
Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
. 1955) is a beauty queen from St. Charles
St. Charles, Illinois
St. Charles is a Chicago suburb in Kane and DuPage counties of Illinois, United States, and is roughly west of Chicago on Illinois Route 64. According to a 2004 census estimate, the city has a total population of 32,134. The official city slogan is Pride of the Fox, after the Fox River that runs...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
who held the Miss USA
Miss USA
The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
1974 title.
Pageants
Comstock entered the Miss Illinois USAMiss Illinois USA
The Miss Illinois USA pageant is a competition that selects the representative for the state Illinois in the Miss USA pageant.Illinois is one of the most successful states in the competition. It is one of only four states to have won four or more Miss USA titles and one of only three states to...
pageant at the suggestion of her modeling agency who owned the franchise and her sister who encouraged her to participate. Paula Zahn, an acquaintance of Comstock also competed and placed in the top five. She won and a month later represented her state in the Miss USA
Miss USA
The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
pageant, held in Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 50,193, down from the 55,593 recorded in the 2000 census. It is across the Niagara River from Niagara Falls, Ontario , both named after the famed Niagara Falls which they...
on May 18, 1974. Comstock won the nationally televised pageant and was crowned by Amanda Jones
Amanda Jones (Miss USA)
Amanda Jones is a former beauty queen from Evanston, Illinois who has held the Miss USA 1973 title.Jones was crowned Miss Illinois USA 1973 and later represented Illinois in the Miss USA 1973 pageant held in New York City. She won the Miss USA title and was crowned by outgoing titleholder Tanya...
, also of Illinois. Her prize winnings included $7,500 cash, a $7,500 appearance contract, $3,000 in scholarships as well as a new car, color television, stereo and clothing. At the time Comstock was one of the tallest contestants ever to win a major beauty pageant.
Comstock represented the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the Miss Universe
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers....
pageant broadcast from Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
two months after winning her national title. This was only the third time that the pageant had been held outside the United States, and the first held in Asia. Continuing the strong history of the United States in this pageant, Comstock placed in the semi-finals. The pageant was won by Amparo Muñoz
Amparo Muñoz
Amparo Muñoz Quesada was a Spanish actress who, in 1974, became the first, and so far, only Spaniard to win the Miss Universe pageant.-Miss Universe 1974:Amparo Muñoz came from the town of Vélez-Málaga, Andalusia,...
of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
During her reign she traveled extensively and met celebrities, including Jack Lemmon
Jack Lemmon
John Uhler "Jack" Lemmon III was an American actor and musician. He starred in more than 60 films including Some Like It Hot, The Apartment, Mister Roberts , Days of Wine and Roses, The Great Race, Irma la Douce, The Odd Couple, Save the Tiger John Uhler "Jack" Lemmon III (February 8, 1925June...
, Bobby Vinton
Bobby Vinton
Bobby Vinton is an American pop music singer of Polish origin. In pop music circles, he became known as "The Polish Prince".-Early life:...
, Omar Shariff and Joe Namath
Joe Namath
Joseph William "Joe" Namath , nicknamed "Broadway Joe" or "Joe Willie", is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for the University of Alabama under coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and his assistant, Howard Schnellenberger, from 1962–1964, and professional football in the...
.
Personal life
Comstock attended Haines Junior High School and St. Charles High SchoolSt. Charles East High School
Saint Charles East High School is a public four-year high school located in St. Charles, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Community Unit School District 303 which also includes Saint Charles North High School....
. She was a freshman at the University of Wisconsin when she won the Miss USA title but left to pursue modeling in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In 1976 she returned home to Illinois, embraced fundamentalist protestant Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
and toured the United States representing a non-profit organization called Sharing Ministries.
She later married Gordon Comstock and has four children.