Menu
Mrs. Nebraska 1955
A recent newspaper story caught the eye of Marilyn Jean Miller of McCook because of the Nebraska "cooky" cutter pictured with the story. The article concerned the Nebraska Mrs. America state contest at the McCook Auditorium in April 1955 and revealed a world far different from the one we know today.
Twelve district contestants participated in the contest, including Mrs. Marie (Robert) Daffer of Lebanon and the only reigning Mrs. Nebraska to earn the Mrs. America title, Mrs. Carl (Ramona) Deitemeyer.
The first round of the competition called for participants to bake a cake and participate in an interview. Marie entered the local competition with her German Chocolate cake. "No one had heard of German chocolate so Safeway had to order me some," said Marie. "I entered it because we were newlyweds and we needed a stove and hot water heater." Marie won the District 3 contest and received the needed stove, pots and pans and a hot water heater.
Ramona's husband, Carl, an editor for Nebraska Farmer, and their son, Steven, entered her in the local contest in Lincoln at the Gas Company. The district contest followed at KOLN-TV in Lincoln, where they baked a Mrs. Nebraska chocolate cake, followed by sewing an apron and ironing a man's shirt and grocer's jacket. Interviews rounded out the competition and Ramona won the District 10 contest.
Their first night in McCook, the 12 district contestants attended an informal dinner at the Keystone Hotel. Contestants, judges, district chairmen and their wives, State committee members, their wives and others affiliated with the contest attended. Judges also had the chance to grade contestants on their social poise and manners at that time. Following the dinner an interview was conducted with each contestant.
The second round of the contest began the next day with the introduction of the judges and contestants to the audience in the auditorium. The ironing and sewing events started at 1:45 p.m., with the women divided into two groups. The events were timed with the two groups trading places after 45 minutes.
Each woman was required to iron their husband's white cotton shirt and a cotton house dress along with other garments and flat work provided by the committee, with a dry electric iron.
While six women ironed, the other six were provided with a Necchi sewing machines and a work table and had to sew an apron. The contestants had to supply their own sewing accessories and purchase material, thread, trimmings and a pattern for the apron for less than $3.
The one and a half hour cooking event rounded out the afternoon, with each woman having to set up a small kitchen complete with a table and four chairs, for her husband, and two guests. Before the event, each contestant had to submit a recipe and a list of groceries needed which were purchased by the committee from local McCook merchants. Contestants then had to prepare and serve the meal in 11?2 hours.
At 5 p.m., contestants were able to rest and visited with the audience who were allowed to come onto the floor and view the meals, sewing and ironing. "It was hard and exhausting," said Mrs. Daffer. "I did win the ironing and sewing events."
At 7:30 p.m., contestants returned to the auditorium in a festive afternoon or informal after-five dress of their choice for an interview and judging of their ability to make personal appearances.
That evening Ramona was crowned Mrs. Nebraska 1956, by Mrs. Jean Lindsey, Mrs. Nebraska 1955, and honored as the most outstanding homemaker in Nebraska.
As a representative for the state, Ramona competed for the Mrs. America title in Daytona, Fla., along with 49 other state winners. Each contestant stayed in a one-bedroom villa, while their husbands enjoyed field trips and played golf.
With five children at home, including her eldest daughter, Diann Sorensen, now of North Platte, housework for Ramona was natural. "I remember my mother and even my grandmother were always dressed for the day," said Diann, who provided many of the memorabilia provided with this story. "You hardly ever saw them in a robe or curlers."
During Ramona's stay in Florida, judges would stop in periodically to see how the house was kept. The 50 women also had to prepare meals, which were not judged on the taste, but on how they were made. There was also more ironing, sewing and interviews. Ramona won the Best Kept Villa and the Best Meal with her Cornhusker roast beef, seaside ambrosia, stuffed potatoes, buttered peas and corn, salad with garlic dressing and sweet pickle chips.
On May 14, 1955, on the shores of the Atlantic, Ramona was crowned Mrs. America 1956. Her prizes included a new car, a complete set of kitchen and laundry appliances and a six week trip to Europe to meet with European housewives.
After returning to her life in Lincoln, Ramona had her own TV show and wrote commercials. In the 60s, the couple moved to Washington D.C., where she worked for Congressman Doug Bereuter, a Republican for Nebraska and Carl worked for the USDA. The couple returned to Lincoln. Carl died in 1986, but Ramona still lives in Lincoln today.
After the state competition, Marie returned to her duties as a farm wife. She and her husband, Robert still live in Lebanon. "That was long time ago," laughed Marie.
In today's times Marie, Ramona and the women that were part of the contest are legacies of a piece of history that was resurrected by an envelope full of pictures. The Mrs. Nebraska contest actually began in 1938, as a quest for the ideal homemaker. Through 1938 to 1968, contestants had to cook, iron and sew for the chance to become Mrs. Nebraska. In 1968, the competition took a nine year hiatus. In 1977, it was recreated with the current format -- 50 percent interview, 25 percent evening gown and 25 percent swimsuit.
Today's Mrs. Nebraska are modern homemakers with a cause. These women are able to promote their family values, women's causes and local charities. Title holders such as the current Mrs. Nebraska Jennifer Bradley of Bennington, speak on state-wide topics, such as spending more time with their children, youth volunteerism, breast cancer, education and domestic violence.