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Date Posted: 16:32:58 03/16/23 Thu
Author: Fan
Subject: Pageant related deaths


Condolences to the family and friends of Shirley Dorothy Hopkins Spychalla, who was the mother of Miss Wisconsin 1980, Dana Lorraine Spychalla O'Hara Cowdrey.

Shirley, who once competed for the Mrs. Wisconsin title, absolutely enjoyed being the mother of the reigning Miss Wisconsin in the years 1980 and 1981 when Dana was Miss Wisconsin, as well as her visit to Atlantic City, NJ for the Miss America pageant.

Sadly, Shirley passed away at age 90 on March 3, 2023, just three weeks before her 91st birthday. This past Monday (March 13, 2023), a funeral service was held in Appleton to honor Shirley:
http://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/shirley-spychalla-obituary?id=49530444


Wisconsin also lost another noted pageant person, perhaps many reading this have never heard of before.

Michelle K. Kearney, a native of West Allis and Milwaukee, was a tireless wheelchair access advocate and also first runner-up to Ms. Wheelchair Wisconsin 2005.

Due to a preventable controversy, which you can read in the newspaper story linked here, Michelle then the assumed state title. Long after the events of 2005, she continued to promote disability rights and also supporting the Ms. Wheelchair Wisconsin program. Sadly, Michelle died on January 22, 2023, at the age of 55:
http://www.maxsass.com/obituaries/Michelle-Kearney?obId=27137800
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2005/apr/02/ms-wheelchair-winner-stripped-of-title/

We shall remember Shirley and Michelle, who had their part in Wisconsin pageantry in their own special way.

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