Volume 5 Article 5 Issue 3 Spring

3-15-1986 Jane Jayroe: Pride of Western Oklahoma Donita Lucas Shields

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Recommended Citation Shields, Donita Lucas (1986) "Jane Jayroe: Pride of Western Oklahoma," Westview: Vol. 5 : Iss. 3 , Article 5. Available at: https://dc.swosu.edu/westview/vol5/iss3/5

This Nonfiction is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at SWOSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Westview by an authorized administrator of SWOSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. America s ideal young woman Jane Jay roe: Pride of Western Oklahoma By Donita Lucas Shields

When Miss Jane Jayroe received the trolled by the Miss America Corpora­ the Miss America crown was attain­ ultimate honor for young ladies in tion. For her travels she was provided able only by the sophisticates of the big Atlantic City on September 10, 1966, with a Jet Commander, an Oklahoma- cities. No one was more surprised than few people outside Western Oklahoma made twin jet private airlier. For shor­ she when she received the coveted had ever heard of her or of Laverne, her ter distances between airports and for Miss America crown and scepter. In hometown. Yet, everyone across the her parade appearances, she was fur­ fact, after having won the Atlantic nation loved her immediately when nished with ten white Oldsmobile con­ City talent contest with her rendition she became the symbol of the best in vertibles. The corporation allowed her of singing and conducting the pageant the American way of life. to work four hours a day with a gua orchestra, she could never have been Today, twenty years later, Jane Jay- ranteed income of $100,000. This happier. Being selected as Miss Amer­ roe has become a part of almost every amount included a $1,000 salary for ica 1967 was to her the icing on the household in Oklahoma as KTVY each appearance plus her clothing and cake. News 4 anchor/reporter with Jerry a scholarship to continue her educa­ Jane Jayroe vowed that becoming Adams and Linda Cavanaugh and as tion after completing her reign. Miss America wouldn't change a thing. host of “Oklahoma’s Own" and the Jane’s personal characteristics of She would always remain a small­ “Jane Jayroe Special." honesty, cheerfulness, determination, town girl. She loved small country The moment that the Miss America and compassion served her well as she towns and always would. Today, twen­ crown was bestowed upon Jane, she climbed to the top. No doubt it was her ty years later, Jane still returns nearly became a “first” in more ways than belief in honesty to herself and to oth­ every vacation and holiday to Laverne, one. She was the first Miss America ers, coupled with her humility, that where her parents have retired. from Western Oklahoma. The Miss opened the doors to her many suc­ Jane Anne Jayroe was born in Clin­ America Pageant of 1966 was the first cesses. ton on October 30, 1946. At that time to be televised nationwide on color TV. At age 16, she won her first pageant her parents, Pete and Helene Jayroe And Jane Jayroe was the first Miss when she was a senior in’ Laverne High (Mr. and Mrs. E. G.), and her 4%-year- America to visit a combat zone during School. As Miss Laverne, she entered old sister, Judy, lived at Hammon wartime. the Northwestern Oklahoma State where Mr. Jayroe taught school. When Shortly after her coronation, Jane University Pageant in Alva to become “Janie" was three, the family moved to mentioned that more than anything Miss Cinderella. Three months after Sentinel, her father's boyhood home else, she wished to visit with the soldi­ enrolling as a freshman at Oklahoma and the home of her pioneering grand ers in Viet Nam. Her wish came true in City University, she stepped into the parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Jayroe. August, 1967, when she and five other throne of Miss All-College Queen. The The Pete Jayroes lived in Sentinel beauties- Miss Maine (1964), Miss next crowns were given to her as Miss for eleven years. According to her par­ South Carolina (1967), Miss Alabama Oklahoma City and Miss Oklahoma in ents, Jane began singing at the local (1966), Miss Connecticut (1966), and 1966. When she moved on to the great­ Methodist church at age three. When Miss Wisconsin (1965)--entertained est pageant of all where the judges she started to school, Mrs. Blanche the troops with “What's Happening selected her as Miss America, she Thomas, a 45-year veteran first-grade Back Home.” commented that she hadn’t even be­ teacher who had also taught Pete Jay­ With humility, Jane greeted the bat- come used to being Miss Oklahoma. roe in 1926, recognized that Jane was a tleworn soldiers with “No one knows Those who observed Jane through­ very special little girl that loved to what it means to me to meet the real out the various pageants recognized sing, a child that stood out as a leader. VIPs of Viet Nam." She sang “Cabaret” that she had the naturalness, kind­ Singing was natural for Jane. Her and other popular songs to them in the ness, beauty, and poise and charm to mother, an elementary classroom and blazing sun and monsoon rains. Dressed possibly be a winner. As she fielded music teacher, acquainted her with a in drab battle gear, her natural beauty, questions and performed as a profes­ love for and the basics of music. When talent, and kindness shone through to sional trouper, she always remained she entered the sixth grade in Sentinel, brighten the Viet Nam scene. the unspoiled, unassuming young her classroom and music teacher, Mrs. While Miss America, Jane-as good­ lady, never realizing that she had the Feme Howard, noted Jane’s excep­ will ambassador -traveled more than potential of becoming the best in the tional talents and introduced her to the 200,000 miles throughout the U.S. and nation. rudiments of conducting. Mrs. How­ foreign countries in her protrayal of At one time Jane actually said that a ard continued her musical training for the ideal American girl. She belonged small town girl from Western Okla­ three years until the Jayroes left Sen­ to America and became a celebrity con- homa would never have a chance-that tinel in 1960. She was assisted by Mrs.

We stview . Spring 1986 5 Lawton Cothran, who gave Jane piano continued her education at Tulsa featured her in a Sunday publication, lessons. She always rated high in University where she earned a Master which included a full cover-page color music contests, receiving top scores at of Arts in Humanities. While in Tulsa, portrait and \Vi pages of interview. state levels when she was in junior she met and married a Tulsa attorney. Jane was also one of six women TV high school. They had one son, Tyler Jayroe Petersen, anchors featured in PARADE, a maga­ Mrs. Howard, now deceased, re­ who is now nine years old. zine insert in 123 national Sunday membered that Jane had the ability to It must be assumed that Jane Jayroe’s newspapers. overcome anything in her way without whirlwind schedule as Miss America Jane’s college sorority awarded her being unkind to others. When the served as a mere prelude to her many the Alpha Chi Omega Achievement Town of Sentinel honored Jane as Miss notable and worthwhile endeavors. In Award, and in 1982 she received the Oklahoma 1966, Mrs. Howard was addition to her TV anchor/reporter Muscular Dystrophy Broadcast Jour­ quick to notice that she was especially responsibilities in Dallas, Fort Worth, nalism Award for her efforts and kind to autograph seekers and to all and Oklahoma City, she is an effective achievements. She has worked as host children. public speaker and entertainer. She and producer for educational programs After moving to Laverne where her has given numerous on OETA and as a specialist in arts in father became assistant principal ana education and in the handicapped head basketball coach, Jane continued program for the Oklahoma Department her musical education with Mel Kenney of Education. of Beaver. In addition to her practice Her interests in health, education, sessions and the 50-mile weekly drives and welfare are evident in the many for private lessons, Jane also became a humanitarian organizations with which first-string forward on Laverne’s high- she is now involved. She is a member of school basketball team. the advisory boards of Oklahoma When she was a senior, the team won County Child Welfare, the Oklahoma second place in the state playoffs. Her Blood Institute, the Oklahoma Child coach, Walter Hoffman, described Jane and Family Institute, the Women’s as a hard worker who was a great Professional Studies Program at the “hustler” because of her personal University of Oklahoma, and is chair­ ideals and determination. man of the Breast Care Diagnostics. Upon entering Oklahoma City Uni­ She is also a member of Leadership versity, Jane continued playing bas­ Oklahoma City, the Steering Commit­ ketball on the Alpha Chi Omega team Jane Jayroe — 1967 tee of Volunteer Connection, past and also conducted her sorority’s lectures on charm and self-improvement honorary chairman of the membership top-notch musical production at OCU’s to teenagers. She presided at the drive for YWCA, and honorary chair­ traditional May Sing in the spring of dedication of the Lloyd Noble Center in man of the Conference on Teen Preg­ 1966. Her music teachers--Mrs. Inez Norman. She was toastmistress at a nancy. She is an active member of the Silberg (voice), Nancy Apgar (piano), Cowboy Hall of Fame Banquet in Church of the Servant, where she is and Dr. Ray Luke (conducting)-believed Oklahoma City, and she served as Sunday School teacher for five-to-seven- that she was well prepared to enter the co-host with Art Linkletter when they year-old children, and the Skyline Miss Oklahoma City Pageant in the aired their 13-part series special, “The Urban Ministry to the Inner City summer of 1966. She did, with a vocal Other School System,” on eighty-four Christian programs. She sings in the medley from FUNNY GIRL, national channels. church choir and is a member of the “Sadie, Sadie, Musical Lady” and As an actress, she has appeared in Women’s Connection program com­ ‘‘Who Are You Now?” She won and numerous leading roles in theater mittee. She is a past member of the went on to the top honor in the Miss productions in Dallas and Oklahoma Board of Ministries. Oklahoma Pageant in Tulsa. City. She starred with Yvonne DeCarlo For the past two decades, Jane Jayroe Jane’s Oklahoma sponsors decided to in THE SOUND OF MUSIC and held has continued to live by the traditional change her repertoire for the Miss other starring roles in OKLAHOMA, Miss America concepts. She once America Pageant. Kenneth F. Harris, FIORELLA, and THE BOY FRIEND. commented, “The nicest thing about an executive in the production depart­ Jane Jayroe spent four years in winning is being able to share with ment of WKY-TV, who also arranged Dallas and Fort Worth before returning other people.” Today she continues to her FUNNY GIRL medley, supplied her to Oklahoma City. While in Texas, she share her capacity for hard work, her with "One, Two, Three.” With this, was news anchor at KXAS-TV. She beauty, her talents, and her love for she won the talent contest in Atlantic was the first woman to receive the humanity. City Mr. Harris had never met Jane at “Woman of the Year” award when she She still remains the same unassum­ that time but was far prouder of her was recognized as the Outstanding ing person that she was as a child, a than of his personal efforts. Television News Personality by the person who strives for perfection in her After completing her successful year American Women in Radio and Televi­ attempts to eliminate injustice, preju­ as Miss America, during which she sion. THE DALLAS TIMES cited Jane dice, and poverty-a striving for goodness emceed over 130 state and local as one of the three best-known women and the best attainable in the American pageants throughout the United States, in the area, and an Oklahoma City way of life. Without any doubt, Jane Miss Jayroe returned to Oklahoma newspaper listed her as one of the Jayroe, once the unknown ideal Ameri­ City University tocomplete her Bachelor “great'' personalities in Oklahoma. can girl from Western Oklahoma, has of Arts degree in Vocal Music. She THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS now become the ideal American woman.

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