Bette Cooper

Elizabeth "Bette" Cooper
Born (1920-08-11) August 11, 1920
Hackettstown, New Jersey, United States
Alma mater Centenary College of New Jersey
Title Miss America 1937
Predecessor Rose Coyle
Successor Marilyn Meseke

Elizabeth "Bette" Cooper-Moore (born August 11, 1920) won the Miss America 1937 pageant as Miss Bertrand Island, representing an amusement park on Lake Hopatcong in New Jersey. She was born in Hackettstown, New Jersey.[1] She caused a stir when she disappeared for some 24 hours after winning the title.[2] Evidently overwhelmed by what was expected of her, she insisted upon a much lighter schedule than planned by pageant officials so that she could attend college. This led pageant officials to have future contestants sign agreements as to what was expected of the winner.[2]

Cooper attended Centenary Junior College (now Centenary University) in Hackettstown where she was a member of the Delta Sigma Sigma sorority and graduated in 1938 at ceremonies attended by Governor of New Jersey A. Harry Moore.[1][3] As of 2017, she is the earliest and oldest Miss America awardee/title holder still living. She married a Wall Street executive[4] and has two children, Cheryl and Gregory, as well as four grandchildren, Adriane, Derek, Noelle, and Sarah. Cooper, who did some modeling and appearances in the years after her title, has long shunned any connection or involvement with Miss America.[5] Michael Callahan wrote a roman à clef on Cooper titled The Night She Won Miss America (2017).[6]

References

  1. 1 2 "Sororities Admit 85 at Centenary Junior; Majority of Students Named to Three Societies Are From New York Area". The New York Times. November 21, 1937. Retrieved December 6, 2007. Miss Bette Cooper of this community, who was chosen Miss America for 1937 at the Atlantic City beauty contest in September, is a new member of Delta Sigma Sigma.
  2. 1 2 Hetrick, Christian (July 18, 2015). "The curse of Miss New Jersey". The Press of Atlantic City. Pleasantville, NJ: BH Media. Retrieved July 31, 2015.
  3. ↑ "68 to Get Diplomas at Centenary Junior; College at Hackettstown, N. J., to Hold Its Exercises Today". The New York Times. June 11, 1938. Retrieved December 6, 2007.
  4. ↑ http://people.com/archive/american-beauties-80-years-vol-54-no-16/
  5. ↑ "Miss America History 1937". Miss America. Archived from the original on September 23, 2006. Retrieved December 30, 2006.
  6. ↑ https://njmonthly.com/articles/jersey-living/books/when-miss-america-went-missing/>/
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Rose Coyle		 Miss America
1937 		Succeeded by
Marilyn Meseke


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