Florida Southern College Alumnae
Florida Citrus Queen and Miss Florida Citrus Winners
Dating back to 1924, the Florida Citrus Queen and Miss Florida Citrus programs have both been devoted to the promotion of the Florida citrus industry. Each year, organizers carefully selected a young woman to serve as Florida Citrus Queen, who became a goodwill ambassador throughout the state, the nation, and even the world. In 1983, the name of the competition changed to Miss Florida Citrus and the selection process changed from that of a more traditional beauty pageant to three days full of interviews, videotaping, and showcasing media/communications skills – all judged by a panel of industry leaders. The winner became a full-time salaried employee and traveled extensively throughout the year as the media spokesperson for the Florida Citrus Showcase and later the Florida Department of Citrus. November 2003 signified the end of an era as the last Miss Florida Citrus was crowned. However, the program did not remain dormant for long. Revival efforts began in 2012, and the first pageant was held in 2015. The Miss Florida Citrus program is part of the Miss America preliminary system, and the winning Miss Florida Citrus earns a scholarship as well as a spot in the Miss Florida pageant.
Throughout the years, multiple Florida Southern College alumnae have won the pageant as both Florida Citrus Queen and Miss Florida Citrus. To learn more about other winners, please visit the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Blog.
Pearl Elizabeth "Beth" Page - Florida Citrus Queen of 1938
Pearl Elizabeth "Beth" Page was born in 1920 in Bartow, Florida and later graduated from Bartow High School. She was 17 when she won the crown of Florida Citrus Queen in 1938. She held a connection to the citrus industry through her uncle Claud Page, who was a citrus grower, and was a member of one of the first families of Bartow. Beth was also the winner of the American Legion Beauty Contest as well as the Garden Festival Queen of 1939. She also attended FSC from 1938-1939. Later, she would marry her husband Wilbur A. Steen Jr. in 1945. Beth passed away on October 7, 2004.
Sources:
"Bartow Girl Named Orange Festival Queen." The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida), January 18, 1938.
"Beth Page Steen (1920-unknown)." Find a Grave. Ancestry.com, January 22, 2008. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/24109401/beth-page-steen.
"Claude Page." The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida), January 27, 1963.
"Crowned Queen." St. Lucie News Tribune (Fort Pierce, Florida), April 13, 1939.
"Miss Pearl Page of Bartow is Bride of Wilbur A. Steen, Jr." The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida), January 21, 1945.
"Pearl Elizabeth Page." FamilySearch, accessed July 17, 2023. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6KSR-81F1.
Pearl Elizabeth Page and Wilbur Steen, marriage license, January 20, 1945, file no. 1945912902, Polk County Clerk of Courts. https://apps.polkcountyclerk.net/browserviewor/.
"Will Reign as Festival Queen." The Tampa Times (Tampa, Florida), January 18, 1938.
Laurel White Norden - Florida Citrus Queen of 1945
Laurel White Norden was born on July 31, 1928 in Winter Haven, Florida. She was 17 years old when she was crowned Florida Citrus Queen. Prior to the Florida Citrus Queen contest, Laurel had been crowned Florida's Magnolia Queen. She later attended FSC in the summers of 1951 and 1952. After her reign, Laurel completed her bachelor's degree at Wesleyan College and went on to George Peabody College for Teachers to obtain a master's degree. She then returned to Florida to work as a teacher and married Jim Lenfestey on June 28, 1956. Laurel passed away on October 3, 2010.
Sources:
"Crowned Queen of Orange Festival." The Key West Citizen (Key West, Florida), March 9, 1945.
"Laurel White Norden Lenfestley (1928-2010)." Find a Grave. Ancestry.com, January 18, 2012. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/83673884/laurel-norden_lefestley.
"Lenfestey, Laurel." The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida), October 5, 2010.
"Magnolia Queen." The Miami Herald (Miami, Florida), June 25, 1943.
Selma Rocker - Florida Citrus Queen of 1946
Selma Rocker was born on May 3, 1928 in Tampa, Florida and later graduated from Summerlin Institute (now Bartow High School). Selma was 17 years old when she was crowned Florida Citrus Queen, and her sponsor was the Summerlin High School Key Club. After her reign, she became an interior designer and design teacher. She also attended FSC from 1947-1948. She married Edwin Ham on July 4, 1948 and later married Claude Segrest. Selma passed away on May 19, 2016.
Sources:
"Rocker-Ham." The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida), July 14, 1948.
"Selma R. Segrest." Dignity Memorial, May 19, 2016. https://www.dignitymemorial.com/en-ca/obituaries/tampa-fl/selma-segrest-6952254.
"Sisters Have Fun as Queen Blushes." The Tampa Times (Tampa, Florida), February 23, 1946.
"Vicki Vies for Place Among Long List of Citrus Royalty." St. Lucie News Tribune (Fort Pierce, Florida), February 5, 1974.
Shirley Rhodes - Florida Citrus Queen of 1948
Shirley Rhodes was born on July 1, 1931 in Spartanburg, South Carolina and later graduated from Plant High School. Shirley was 16 years old when she was crowned Florida Citrus Queen, and her sponsor was Florida Frozen Foods Inc. Prior to the Florida Citrus Queen contest, Shirley had been crowned Miss Holiday in 1948. After her reign, she went on to collect the crowns of Miss Tampa and Miss Florida in 1949. She also attended FSC from 1949-1950. Shirley married August Dielens on June 30, 1951 and eventually moved to Georgia and South Carolina before returning to Florida. Shirley passed away on December 21, 1979.
Sources:
"August J. Dielens, Jr." USMA Class of 1950, October 7, 2014. https://www.usma1950.com/memorial/august-j-dielens-jr.
"Luncheons, Teas Precede Lazy Summer Days." The Tampa Times (Tampa, Florida), May 24, 1958.
"Miss Florida." Wikipedia, October 1, 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Florida.
"Miss Shirley Rhodes Engaged to Wed Lt. A. J. Dielens Jr." The Tampa Times (Tampa, Florida), January 16, 1951.
"Plant High Girl Voted 'Miss Florida Citrus.'" The Tampa Times (Tampa, Florida), February 17, 1948.
"Shirley Rhodes Dielens (1931-1979)." Find a Grave. Ancestry.com, September 19, 2010. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/58905632/shirley-dielens.
Ann Daniel - Florida Citrus Queen of 1954
Ann Daniel was born on June 7, 1933 in Plant City, Florida. She was crowned Florida Citrus Queen at the age of 20 while simultaneously being crowned Miss Florida at the same time. She was sponsored by the Dade City Junior Chamber of Commerce and displayed her skill with the accordion for the talent portion. Prior to receiving the title of Florida Citrus Queen, Ann had been crowned Miss Dade City and Miss Radio Queen of the South. Later, at the Miss America 1955 pageant, Ann placed as the first runner-up. After the contest, she went on to complete her bachelor's degree at Florida Southern College in 1955. While at FSC, Ann was part of the FSC Concert Choir and Alpha Chi Omega. Also in 1955, Ann married John Adams. The couple remained in Florida, where Ann became a pageant judge, bred and trained horses, and founded Keep Winter Haven Clean and Beautiful. As of writing, she resides in Winter Haven, Florida.
Sources:
Image Courtesy of Florida Memory, State Archives of Florida.
"Ann Daniel Bride of John Paul Adams." The Tampa Times (Tampa, Florida), August 29, 1955.
"Ann Daniel Wins Dual Crown: To Vie for Miss America Title." The Southern (Lakeland, Florida), February 2, 1954.
Burnette, Brenda Eubanks. Personal communication, August 30, 2023.
"Dade City Girl Named Florida Citrus Queen." The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida), February 18, 1954.
Florida Southern College Alumni Directory, 2002. Purchase, New York: Bernard C. Harris Publishing Company, 2002.
"Miss Florida." Wikipedia, October 1, 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Florida.
Morgan, Elain. "Runway Models to Runway Pilots: Polk Women Rise to Prominence." The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida), March 14, 1998.
"Receives Double Crown." The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida), February 19, 1954.
Vickie Lynne Carver - Miss Florida Citrus of 1985
Vickie Lynne Carver was born on January 16, 1964, in Jacksonville, Florida and later graduated from Bradford County High School. She was 21 years old when she was crowned Miss Florida Citrus in 1985, and her sponsor was Tropicana. After her reign, Vickie obtained a bachelor's degree from Florida Southern College and went on to become the owner of Professional Dental Billing Company. While at FSC, Vickie was part of Choral, All Campus Fellowship, Junior Advisors, and was a Miss Southern candidate. Vickie passed away on November 19, 1995.
Sources:
Burke, Tony. "Miss Florida Citrus' Job More than Just for Grins." The Gainesville Sun (Gainesville, Florida), October 4, 1985.
Florida Southern College Alumni Directory, 2002. Purchase, New York: Bernard C. Harris Publishing Company, 2002.
"Miss Florida Citrus 1985 Program." Florida Citrus Showcase Records, McKay Archives, Florida Southern College, Lakeland, Florida.
"Vickie Lynn Carver." The Gainesville Sun (Gainesville, Florida), November 21, 1995.
"Vickie Lynne Carver (1964-1995)." Find a Grave. Ancestry.com, August 12, 2017. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/182306603/vickie-lynne-carver.
Rosemarie Payne - Miss Florida Citrus of 1986
Rosemarie Payne was born around 1964 in New York. She was 22 years old when she was crowned Miss Florida Citrus, and her sponsor was Chain of Lakes Groves. During the competition, Rosemarie also won two media awards. After her reign, Rosemarie transferred from the University of South Florida to Florida Southern College, from where she graduated in 1988. While at FSC, she was a member of the Advertising Club. She later went on to become Director of Travel and Leisure for Visit St. Pete and Clearwater. Prior to that, she was also a Cypress Gardens swimmer, and a sales manager at Buena Vista Palace.
Sources:
Florida Southern College Alumni Directory, 2002. Purchase, New York: Bernard C. Harris Publishing Company, 2002.
"A Gardens Stroll Down Memory Lane." The Ledger (Lakeland, Florida), January 18, 2006. https://www.theledger.com/story/news/2006/01/19/a-gardens-stroll-down-memory-lane/26620562007/.
"1986 Miss Florida Citrus Pageant Program." Florida Citrus Showcase Records, McKay Archives, Florida Southern College, Lakeland, Florida.
Robinson, Sherry. "USF Student is Miss Florida Citrus." The Ledger (Lakeland, Florida), November 3, 1985.
"Rosemarie Payne" LinkedIn, accessed July 17, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosemarie-payne-8a4648a/.
Morgan Ortagus - Miss Florida Citrus of 2002
Morgan Ortagus was born on July 10, 1982 in Auburndale, Florida. She was 20 years old when she was crowned Miss Florida Citrus. Prior to the Miss Florida Citrus contest, Morgan had been crowned Miss Auburndale and Miss Teen Auburndale. After her reign, she was crowned Miss Orange Blossom. She graduated from Florida Southern College with a bachelor's degree and went on to obtain two master's degrees from Johns Hopkins University. She married Joshua Dobbs shortly after her reign and then later married Jonathan Ross Weinberger in 2013. Morgan briefly lived in Baghdad, Iraq and then later moved to Tennessee. She has worked as a press secretary, political consultant, and a State Department spokesperson under the Trump administration. She now often appears on Fox News channel as a correspondent.
Sources:
Image Courtesy of US Department of State, 2016.
"Morgan Ortagus." International Republican Institute, accessed August 23, 2023. https://www.iri.org/who-we-are/iri-experts/morgan-ortagus/.
"Morgan Ortagus." Wikipedia, June 5, 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan_Ortagus.
Preston, Shelley. "Florida Southern Student Shines in State Pageant." The Ledger (Lakeland, Florida), July 8, 2003.
Erin Nichole "Nikki" Upthegrove - Miss Florida Citrus of 2004
Erin Nichole "Nikki" Upthegrove was born on January 6, 1982 in Plant City, Florida. She was introduced to the citrus industry through her work of earning a bachelor's degree in citrus from Florida Southern College. While at FSC, she was part of the Horticulture Club as well as a Southern Ambassador. Nikki was 22 years old when she was crowned Miss Florida Citrus, and she would be the last Miss Florida Citrus for the next decade. After her reign, Nikki worked in Investment Administration at Wall Titus, LLC. She later married Michael Matthews on October 13, 2013.
Sources:
Erin Upthegrove and Michael Matthews, marriage license, October 17, 2013, file no. 2013193258, Polk County Clerk of Courts. https://apps.polkcountyclerk.net/browserviewor/.
Graham, George. "Focus on a Queen." The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida), July 31, 2004.
"Nikki Matthews." LinkedIn, accessed July 19, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-mathews-4606605/.
Megan Price - Miss Florida Citrus of 2018
Megan Price was born around 1998 in LaBelle, Florida. She was 20 years old when she was crowned Miss Florida Citrus with the platform Organ Donation - Be a Lifesaver. She was sponsored by Seald Sweet LLC and danced in the talent portion of the contest. Prior to the Miss Florida Citrus Contest, Megan had been crowned Swamp Cabbage Princess in 2015. After her reign, she graduated from Florida Southern College with a Bachelor of Science in Communication and Media Studies with a concentration in Sports and Multimedia Journalism, and she was crowned Miss Lakeland in 2019. She has worked as a strategic partnerships manager for Scotlynn USA and as a fourth-grade teacher.
Sources:
Callies, Tacy. "Industry Encouraged to Support Miss Florida Citrus Program." Citrus Industry Magazine, February 6, 2019. https://citrusindustry.net/2019/02/04/industry-encouraged-to-support-miss-florida-citrus-program/.
"Former LaBelle Resident Crowned Miss Florida Volunteer." South Central Florida Life (Okeechobee, Florida), February 21, 2022. https://www.southcentralfloridalife.com/stories/former-labelle-resident-crowned-miss-florida-volunteer,44223.
McHenry, Abby. "Florida Southern Women to Represent Lakeland and Polk County at Miss Florida 2020." The Southern (Lakeland, Florida), November 13, 2019. https://fscsouthern.com/misslkld/.
"Megan Price." LinkedIn, accessed July 19, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/meganprice7.
"Press: Megan Price." Megan Price, accessed July 19, 2023. https://www.meganprice.org/press.
Rusnak, Paul. "New Miss Florida Citrus Claims Her Crown." Growing Produce, September 25, 2019. https://www.growingproduce.com/citrus/new-miss-florida-citrus-claims-crown/.
Rusnak, Paul. "One-on-One with Miss Florida Citrus 2018." Growing Produce, April 14, 2018. https://www.growingproduce.com/citrus/5-questions-miss-florida-citrus-2018/.