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Colorado State Fair Silver Queen

Elaine Eddy Ripley and her grandson

CONGRATULATIONS!

The 2012 Colorado State Fair Silver Queen is Elaine Eddy Ripley, 101, who lives at Chateau at Sharmar Village in Pueblo, Colorado!

The annual contest's judges were impressed with her spunky attitude and energy. She really invigorated the crowd when she got everyone to sing a medley of America the Beautiful and God Bless America.

Congratulations Elaine!

OTHER WINNERS:

1st Runner Up
Sue Ann Loomis – 92, Hilderbrand Care Center, Canon City, CO
2nd Runner Up
Doris McCray – 96, Life Care Center of Pueblo, Pueblo, CO
3rd Runner Up
Alice Truitt – 93, Pikes Peak Care & Rehabilitation Center, Colorado Springs
Miss Congeniality
Melva Quillen – 82, Westwind – Horizon Heights, Pueblo, CO

OTHER CONTESTANTS:
Eva June Arnold – 91, Pueblo Care & Rehabilitation Center, Pueblo, CO

Louise Bachik – 88, Westwind Village, Pueblo, CO

Adelaida Garcia – 88, Sharmar Village Care Center, Pueblo, CO
Rita Kottenstetti – 93, Bruce McCandless Sate Veterans Home, Florence, CO
Betty Nielsen - 91, Colorado State Veterans Nursing Home, Walsenburg, CO
Betty Owens – 79, The Pavillion at Villa Pueblo, Pueblo, CO
Theresa Passero - 96, Trinidad Inn, Trinidad, CO
Mary Patton – 91, Belmont Senior Care Assisted Living, Pueblo, CO
Rose Romero – 97, Wynwood of Pueblo, Pueblo, CO
Frances Shue – 85, Villa Pueblo Assisted Living, Pueblo, CO
Mary Sierra – 81, Belmont Lodge, Pueblo, CO

More about the Queen!

Elaine Eddy Ripley
This delightful lady was born in 1911 in Chamberlain, South Dakota.

She was married to O. McKinzie Eddy in 1937 and the couple was together for 27 years. She then married Calvin Ripley in 1968 and was widowed after 26 years of marriage. Elaine says while she never had children of her own, she was ‘gifted’ with four children from Mr. Ripley. She is very proud of them and her 11 grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.

Elaine was an educator for 30 years, teaching high school, as well as at Mesa Junior College in Grand Junction. She received her Master’s Degree at Grand Junction and did advanced graduate studies at CU.

Music has been a big part of her life. Elaine played the organ at 1sth Methodist Church for more than 30 years. She would play at any church that needed her services, as well as for the Lions, Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs. When a Chautauqua came to town, she would often accompany them.

When she was in college, she didn’t have much money to spend, so she would go to Lawrence Welk musical hour sponsored by a local radio station. Years later she had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Welk.