Kaye Lani Rae Rafko
Encyclopedia
Kaye Lani Rae Rafko Wilson (born August 26, 1963) is the winner of the 1988 Miss America
Pageant. She is from Monroe, Michigan
where a street is now named for her.
On September 19, 1987, Rafko was named as the Miss America 1988
, after winning the Miss Michigan
pageant of 1987. Rafko has participated in a number of fundraising activities and has been a vocal advocate for nursing and hospice programs. She has addressed medical professional organizations around the world on the topic of nursing
, including groups in Malaysia, Paris, Rome, and Singapore.
Rafko is a Registered Nurse
and is married to Charles (Chuck) Wilson, with whom she has three children. She is the president of Gabby’s Ladder, a bereavement program for children and their families, an organisation she founded after the death of her fourth child. Other family included a younger brother, Nick, who played football at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
from 1989 to 1993, and who was killed in a car accident on June 26, 1994.
In the Miss America competition her platform included help for hospice
services and her talent was a Tahitian dancing performance.
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...
Pageant. She is from Monroe, Michigan
Monroe, Michigan
Monroe is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 20,733 at the 2010 census. It is the largest city and county seat of Monroe County. The city is bordered on the south by Monroe Charter Township, but both are politically independent. The city is located approximately 14 miles ...
where a street is now named for her.
On September 19, 1987, Rafko was named as the Miss America 1988
Miss America 1988
Miss America 1988, the 67th Miss America, pageant, was from on the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 19, 1987 on NBC Network.- Results :*Miss America 1988 Kaye Lani Rae Rafko...
, after winning the Miss Michigan
Miss Michigan
The Miss Michigan competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Michigan in the Miss America pageant. Michigan has won the Miss America crown on five occasions.- Winners :- External links :*...
pageant of 1987. Rafko has participated in a number of fundraising activities and has been a vocal advocate for nursing and hospice programs. She has addressed medical professional organizations around the world on the topic of nursing
Nursing
Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
, including groups in Malaysia, Paris, Rome, and Singapore.
Rafko is a Registered Nurse
Registered nurse
A registered nurse is a nurse who has graduated from a nursing program at a university or college and has passed a national licensing exam. A registered nurse helps individuals, families, and groups to achieve health and prevent disease...
and is married to Charles (Chuck) Wilson, with whom she has three children. She is the president of Gabby’s Ladder, a bereavement program for children and their families, an organisation she founded after the death of her fourth child. Other family included a younger brother, Nick, who played football at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
from 1989 to 1993, and who was killed in a car accident on June 26, 1994.
In the Miss America competition her platform included help for hospice
Hospice
Hospice is a type of care and a philosophy of care which focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's symptoms.In the United States and Canada:*Gentiva Health Services, national provider of hospice and home health services...
services and her talent was a Tahitian dancing performance.
Trivia
- Rafko is 5 in 10 in (1.78 m) tall.
- She makes a brief appearance in the 1989 documentary film Roger & MeRoger & MeRoger & Me is a 1989 American documentary film directed by Michael Moore. Moore portrays the regional negative economic impact of General Motors CEO Roger Smith's summary action of closing several auto plants in Flint, Michigan, costing 30,000 people their jobs at the time and economically...
, by Michael MooreMichael MooreMichael Francis Moore is an American filmmaker, author, social critic and activist. He is the director and producer of Fahrenheit 9/11, which is the highest-grossing documentary of all time. His films Bowling for Columbine and Sicko also place in the top ten highest-grossing documentaries...
. In the film, Moore questions Rafko during her appearance in a paradeParadeA parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
in Flint, MichiganFlint, MichiganFlint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
. - Kaye Lani's children names are Nick, Alana and Joe.
External links
- Kaye Lani Rae Rafko profile on MissAmerica.org
- Former Miss Michigans
- "After the reign" from The Toledo BladeThe Blade (newspaper)The Blade is a daily newspaper in Toledo, Ohio, first published on December 19, 1835.- Overview :David Ross Locke gained national fame for the paper during the Civil War era by writing under the pen name Petroleum V. Nasby. Writing under the pen name, Locke wrote satires ranging on topics from...
(2003)