FINIS: ONE OF OUR BIGGEST SENIOR EVENTS OF THE YEAR!
Lea London, 1st Runner Up with Jeanne Lenhart, Queen
Presenting our Ms Sr San Diego Winner and First Runner Up:
Jeanne Lenhart, 66 years young from San Diego, was crowned MS SR San Diego, 2012, Saturday, 2/18/12, at the pageant held at the Balboa Park Club in San Diego. First runner up, Lea London, from Marina Del Rey will accompany Jeanne, as each will advance to the State Pageant to compete for the title of Ms. Senior California in August.
Jeanne is a resident of San Diego and a former educator at San Diego High School, Roosevelt Middle School, and San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts. Currently, she owns Mission Designs where her design talents shine as an interior designer. She is an award winning Volleyball player with multiple wins at San Diego State, Mr. G’s AA teams, and Senior and Olympic Games. Recently she traveled throughout the US competing in the Open Nationals. She has won street dance competitions, belongs to the Mission Beach Woman’s Club and Bitchen Beach Babes, and volunteers her time teaching dance classes to adults and volleyball to children and teens. This was her first time to ever compete in a pageant; she also won the talent award.
Lea modeled during the late 60’s and early 70’s, being represented by the well renowned John Robert Power’s Agency. She owned her own Self-improvement School, created a website “Aging by Lea London”, and is currently a Realtor. She volunteers for Big Sisters of California, Cedar Sinai Hospital Emergency Room, and the National Alliance for Mental Health. She earned a Full Service Award, from the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. She is a performing member of the Cameo Club and Senior Entertaining Seniors.
Throughout the three-hour competition, the contestants competed in four categories including: Personal Interview, Evening Gown, Philosophy of Life and Talent. The show featured 15 lovely contestants, each, in her own right, gracious and talented. 
Second runner-up was Marcia Herrera from Buena Park, third runner-up was Gail Stebbins from Oceanside, and fourth runner-up was Gwenn Jensen from Escondido. The 15 contestants who competed in the pageant came from various parts of California; six being San Diego residents, others represented nearby towns such as Oceanside, Escondido, San Marcos, Vista, National City and Orange County.
Under the direction of San Diego Pageant Director, Peggy Padilla, The MS SR San Diego Pageant partnered with the City of San Diego Park and Recreation Department. The MS SR America Pageant is the world’s first pageant to emphasize and give honor to women who have reached the “Age of Elegance”; a lady who best expresses the dignity, maturity, and inner beauty of all senior women. The philosophy is based upon the belief that Seniors are the foundation of America, and a valuable treasure.
Judges had their work cut out for them. It was a gigantic task to which they came and conquered.
(Far left) Rick Talbot, Foreman of the Judges’ Panel; no stranger to the pageant, has been helping out where needed for some time, along with his wife (far right) Judith Talbot, Coordinator and Time keeper. Judith is Ms Sr Pasadena, 2011, and will be crowning a new Pasadena Queen in a few weeks.
Dolores St. Louis (yours truly) has been judging local and state pageants and talent shows, for many years. She has had her own performing arts center, production companies, been a talent agent, and is most proud of her Lifetime Teaching Credential in Personal Development with the State of California..She currently has her own column, “Seniors in Motion” on HillQuest.com.
William Valencia has been a professional Ballroom and Latin Dance Instructor for 28 years. He has trained levels of beginners to professional for National and International Competitions. He is currently teaching wheelchair dancing for the Wheelchair Dancing Organization with Beverly Weurding, co-founder of the local branch. He owns “Absolutely Dance Sports Dance Studios”. He views dancing as a vehicle of communication with the world.
Lonnie Burstein Hewitt is an author, arts writer, and lyricist/playwright, who has been helping others tell their stories for most of her life. She is writer/producer of “Tales from the Far Side of Fifty”, an acclaimed stage show, Artistic Director of the “San Diego Coming of Age Film Festival”, author of “Walking San Diego”, and “The Little Red Writing Book”, a guide to writing your own life story.
Ed Walker is well known in the area as a Talent Judge and Master of Ceremonies. He has served our country in the US Army, and had a career as an Advertising and Sales Manufacturer’s as a Sales Representative. He has won trophies and ribbons in Canine Obedience Trials, horse show jumping, theatre organ performances and creative arts, is a silver medal roller dance skater, and is an actor and vocalist.
Steve Tom, absolutely no stranger to Seniors in San Diego, stepped in to save the day, when our fifth judge could not make the pageant. Steve relates surfing in San Diego was important in his youth. After college, he served our country in Viet Nam as a combat engineer, building bridges, roads, and jungle air strips. He was Manager for a J.C. Penny’s in Hawaii for an interim period. Returning to San Diego, he joined his parents to volunteer for Senior Services, eventually replacing them. He has received commendations from the City Council for work with Senior and Disabled Services.
Steve is a most valuable volunteer with the San Diego City Park & Recreation Department of Senior Services, who were the major sponsors of this MS SR Pageant, along with many contributors, co-sponsors and volunteers. Kudos to all.
