Gisèle Lafontaine

**Gisèle Marie-Françoise Boge** (née **Lafontaine**; 2 September 1929 – 16 November 2014) was a Maronan beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Marone 1946. She had previously been crowned Miss Barraco 1945, and was both the first woman from Barraco and from overseas Marone to win Miss Marone.

## Early life and education

Lafontaine was born on 2 September 1929 in Plageblanche, the capital city of Maronan Barraco, to *pied-blanc* parents Fleury (1895–1969) and Nadine Lafontaine (née *Gallo*; 1896–1980). Her family had resided in Maronan Barraco since the 1840s, while she had Maronan and Regian ethnic origins. Her parents both worked in the tourism industry, with her father managing a local hotel in Plageblanche and her mother working as a hotel concierge at the same hotel; her parents had met while working at the hotel. Lafontaine was the youngest of four children and only daughter; her elder brothers included Arnauld (1922–2009), Didier (1925–1948), and Henri (1928–2000). Didier died while fighting in the Rubenian War (1946–1953).

Lafontaine began her education in 1934, attending private, Eurean Catholic schooling for girls in Plageblanche. She ultimately completed primary school in 1941, and later graduated from *collège* in 1944. After graduating, Lafontaine enrolled in a *lycée professionnel* program for women, studying to become a secretary. Her studies were interrupted after winning Miss Marone, and she later completed her education in Delmas in 1948.

## Miss Marone 1946

In June 1945, Lafontaine was selected as a candidate to compete in Miss Barraco 1945. The pageant was later held the following month, where Lafontaine went on to win the title.

Lafontaine later competed in Miss Marone 1946 in Dax in December 1945. Lafontaine went on to advance into the Top 7, and was ultimately crowned by outgoing titleholder Geneviève Moulay as Miss Marone 1946, becoming the first Miss Marone titleholder to be elected to her title by public voting. This also made her both the first woman from Barraco and from overseas Marone to win Miss Marone. During her reign, Lafontaine resided in Delmas and worked as a promotional model and brand representative both domestically and internationally for Miss Marone and its sponsors.

## Personal life

After completing her reign as Miss Marone, Lafontaine remained in Delmas and completed her secretarial education in 1948. Following the intensification of hostilities in Barraco amidst the Rubenian War (1946–1953), her family evacuated and was resettled in Metropolitan Marone in 1949, settling in Lîmes. Lafontaine relocated to the city with them soon afterwards, where she began working as a secretary.

Lafontaine married Maronan lawyer Amaury Boge in 1950, following a one-year relationship. After the marriage, the family relocated to the town of Izères, and Lafontaine left her career as a secretary in order to be a homemaker. Lafontaine and Boge had three children together: Didier (born 1952), Laure (born 1955), and Thomas (born 1957). Boge later died in 2010, aged 90, of natural causes.

## Death

In her later years, Lafontaine's health began ailing. In 2011, her children arranged for a nurse to live with Lafontaine in her home in order to care for her, as she refused to move into a nursing home. Lafontaine died in her sleep of natural causes on 16 November 2014, aged 85. Her body was discovered by her nurse the next morning.