Local Woman Competes in Senior Pageant

Elizabeth Herring poses with a parasol during the “meet the contestants” segment of the Ms. Missouri Senior America Pageant on Sunday in Florissant. (Photo by Steve Bowman)

Elizabeth Herring of Brentwood competed in the Ms. Missouri Senior America Pageant on Sunday, July 10, at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre. She didn’t win the pageant, which is for women 60 and older, but she had a lot of fun.

Herring is escorted on stage for the presentation of awards. (Photo by Steve Bowman)

The best part, Herring said, was meeting so many women in the Missouri Cameo Club, which sponsors the event annually. The group consists of line dancers, who open and close the show, and a variety of singers, tap dancers and novelty acts. They perform throughout the year to raise money for the pageant and for St. Louis charities.

Herring will be profiled in The Brentwood Spirit later this week. Here are some excerpts from her bio in the pageant’s program:

Elizabeth is a widow with three children and five grandchildren. She went to grade school in St. Louis and boarding school near Baltimore. After high school, she studied ballet in New York for two years, then joined Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus as a dancer, bareback rider, and elephant rider. She left the circus to marry a Wyoming cowboy. They had four children and moved to a farm in Pike County, Missouri, where they lost one son. Elizabeth became an LPN and then a real estate associate. She earned an MLA degree at Washington University in her 60s.

Herring performs a magic act during the talent competition. She had wanted to perform her trapeze act but a recent injury prevented it. (Photo by Steve Bowman)

She worked for years as a board member and teacher for Prison Performing Arts, which enhances the lives of incarcerated youth and adults. She is on the board of Fathers Support Center, which teaches men to be responsible for their children. She works with Women in Transition, which helps women when they are released from prison. She teaches the skills of life through the arts of the circus through Circus Harmony. She learned her trapeze act at their school in the City Museum. Elizabeth also attends classes in lifelong learning at Washington University and acts in plays with Etc. Senior Theatre.

Herring addresses the crowd during the “evening gown and philosophy of life” portion of the pageant at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre. (Photo by Steve Bowman)

Peggy Eggers (middle) won the 2011 Ms. Missouri Senior America Pageant. The second runner-up was Merrily Woodford (left) and the first runner-up was Wendy Gordon. Eggers was particularly strong in the talent competition, when she sang a rousing rendition of “Stars and Stripes Forever.” (Photo by Steve Bowman)

Elizabeth (left) poses with a friend during a reception for all the contestants after the pageant. (Photo by Steve Bowman)

A large group of Elizabeth’s family and friends attended the pageant and came by to congratulate her during a reception afterwards. (Photo by Steve Bowman)

The contestants, from left to right, are: Carol Moldafsky, Charlotte Gestring, Sandy Rosell, Merrily Woodford, Peggy Eggers, Wendy Gordon, Julia Lamborn-Gettinger, Phyllis Follmer and Brentwood’s own Elizabeth Herring. (Photo by Steve Bowman)