Former Queens
Marion County has a rich pageant tradition dating back to 1980 when our first queen was crowned. The fairgrounds may have changed through the years, but the queen sisterhood is strong! We are so excited when our former queens return for a visit. Numerous former queens help each year with the pageant assisting with mock interviews and attending the pageant to help the contestants.
1980's
'80 Debbie Fry Kline-Salem
State Pageant Finalist
'81 Tanja Evans Meyer-Alma
'82 Molly Morris Petrea-Salem
State Pageant Runner Up
'83 Julie Broom Snead-Salem
State Pageant Finalist
'84 Kimberly Gillis Rosch-Salem
State Pageant Non-Finalist Award
'85 Randa Rightnowar Basden-Centralia
'86 Jill Gardner-Salem
'87 Lori Vaughn Phinney-Salem
**Miss Illinois County Fair Queen**
'88 Michelle Hunzicker Koester-Salem
State Pageant Finalist
'89 Michelle Perry Daniel-Salem
State Pageant Finalist
1990's
'90 Tracy Maxey Hood-Salem
'91 Mindy Adams Looney-Patoka
State Pageant Finalist
'92 Jennifer Jackson Hunzicker-Odin
State Pageant Finalist
'93 Jennifer Altadonna-Centralia
'94 Brandy Holmes Drenkpohl-Salem
'95 Kelly Lamp Kelsheimer-Salem
'96 Stacey Easley King-Salem
State Pageant Finalist
'97 Christy Melton Schneider-Salem
State Pageant Finalist
'98 Kyla Walsh Patton-Salem
State Pageant Finalist
'99 Janet Mazanek Fitzmaurice-Alma
State Pageant Finalist
2000's
'00 Jennifer Tippit Zink-Centralia
State Pageant Finalist
'01 Audrey Hargis Brown-Salem
'02 Kara Nattier Belcher
State Pageant Finalist
'03 Ashley Kell Stanford
1st Runner-Up State Pageant
'04 Brittany Scarbrough Shuler-Odin
'05 Jenna Tate-Salem
'06 Riann Phillips Ross-Kinmundy
'07 Dani Lewis Cooper-Salem
'08 Mallory Borger Crouse-Salem
'09 Taylor Purcell Crum-Alma
State Pageant Finalist
2010's
'10 Darcy Phillips Seiler-Alma
'11 Chelsie Bartley Carril-Iuka
'12 Ashton Burroughs Smith-Salem
State Pageant Finalist
'13 Lacey Honaker Wekkin-Salem
'14 Morgan Belcher Payne-Patoka
State Pageant Finalist
'15 Karlie Nattier Coffey
State Pageant Finalist
'16 Julie Boeker Berry-Iuka
State Pageant Non-Finalist Award
'17 Emma Butler Thomas-Salem
'18 Baylie Devall-Patoka
State Pageant Non-Finalist Award
'19-'20 Grace Beavin-Salem
4th Runner-Up State Pageant
2020's
'20 No Pageant COVID
'21 Maggie Telford-Salem
'22 Delaney Kell-Salem
'23 Kaitlyn Banning-Salem
State Pageant Non Finalist Award & People's Choice