# Miss USA 1961

Miss USA 1961 was the tenth Miss USA pageant, held at the Miami Beach Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida on July 13, 1961.
At the end of the event, Linda Bement of Utah crowned Sharon Brown of Louisiana as Miss USA 1961. It was the second victory of Louisiana in the pageant's history. Brown later competed at Miss Universe and was named as fourth runner-up to eventual winner, Marlene Schmidt.
Contestants from forty-two states and the District of Columbia competed in this pageant.

## Results
### Placements

| Placement | Contestant |
| Miss USA 1961 | Louisiana – Sharon Brown |
| 1st runner-up | California – Pamela Stettler |
| 2nd runner-up | Nevada – Karen Weller |
| 3rd runner-up | New York – Alexa Currey |
| 4th runner-up | Alabama – Suellen Robinson |
| Top 15 | Connecticut – Florence Mayette Kentucky – Marcia Chumbler Massachusetts – Elaine Cusick Michigan – Patricia Squires Mississippi – Marlene Britsch Nebraska – Gail Weinstock New Jersey – Diane Giersch Rhode Island – Joan Zeller Utah – Janet Hawley West Virginia – Kathy McManaway |

## Contestants

Forty-three contestants competed for the title.
| State/District | Contestant | Age | Hometown | Notes |
| Alabama | Suellen Robinson | 20 | Fairfax | |
| Alaska | Judy Onstad | 21 | Fairbanks | |
| Arizona | Shyrle Owens | 18 | Phoenix | |
| Arkansas | Mickey Lambert | 20 | El Dorado | |
| California | Pamela Ray Stettler | 18 | San Rafael | |
| Connecticut | Florence Mayette | 20 | Hartford | |
| Delaware | Nina Lou Ringler | 18 | Selbyville | |
| District of Columbia | Patricia Brunette | – | Washington, D.C. | |
| Florida | Peggy DeFreitas | 22 | Miami | |
| Georgia | Patsy Giddens | – | – | |
| Idaho | Delcene Kay Rossiter | 20 | Pocatello | |
| Illinois | Dianne Duffey | 19 | Elmhurst | |
| Indiana | Janice Kay Oliver | 18 | Indianapolis | |
| Iowa | Deanne Ostermann | 19 | Ocheyedan | |
| Kansas | Dixie Lee Cook | 22 | Topeka | |
| Kentucky | Marcia Gale Chumbler | 18 | Mayfield | |
| Louisiana | Sharon Rene Brown | 18 | Minden | 4th runner-up at Miss Universe 1961 |
| Maine | Barbara Ann Dyer | – | Dexter | |
| Maryland | Gail Baxter | – | High Point | |
| Massachusetts | Elaine Cusick | 18 | Boston | |
| Michigan | Patricia Squires | 20 | Dearborn | |
| Mississippi | Marlene Britsch | 21 | Clermont Harbour | |
| Missouri | Joan Roberts | 19 | Richmond Heights | |
| Nebraska | Gail L. Weinstock | 20 | Omaha | |
| Nevada | Karen Weller | 18 | Las Vegas | |
| New Hampshire | Dianne Ellen Lipson | – | – | |
| New Jersey | Diane C. Giersch | 19 | Red Bank | |
| New Mexico | Georgi Edwards | 18 | Albuquerque | |
| New York | Alexa Currey | 22 | New York City | Replaced Marcia Banks as Miss New York USA |
| North Carolina | Marie Clyburn | 20 | Charlotte | |
| Ohio | Alice Lou Engleman | 23 | Ashtabula | |
| Pennsylvania | Gayle Nelson | 19 | Chester | |
| Rhode Island | Joan Marie Zeller | 23 | Riverside | |
| South Carolina | Yvonne Quick | 21 | Bennettsville | |
| South Dakota | Sharon Hoffman | 19 | Harrisburg | |
| Tennessee | Anita Atkins | 25 | Memphis | |
| Texas | Sheila Wade | 18 | Dallas | |
| Utah | Janet Marie Hawley | 25 | Salt Lake City | |
| Vermont | Susan Nielson | – | Poultney | |
| Virginia | Bonnie Jones | 18 | Norfolk | |
| West Virginia | Kathy McManaway | 20 | Princeton | |
| Wisconsin | Karen Reisweber | 21 | Milwaukee | |
| Wyoming | Judy Larae Walton | – | Cokeville | |