Anaïg Merser

*This name uses Grelic naming customs. The matronymic is* NiwGwenaëlle*, while the family name is* Merser*.*

**Anaïg NiwGwenaëlle Merser** (6 July 1934 – 13 December 2016) was a Maronan beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Marone 1956. She had previously been crowned Miss Pays-du-Verne 1955 and Miss Verne-Intérieur 1955, making her the first woman from Pays-du-Verne to have won Miss Marone.

## Early life and education

Merser was born on 6 July 1934 in Lampal-Plougère, a town in the Jaffrès department of Ditrone, to parents Jaume Merser (1907–1948) and Gwenaëlle Le Saux (1909–1985). Her father was a construction worker, while her mother was a homemaker. Following her father's death from heart disease in 1948, when Merser was 14 years old, the family began struggling financially and her mother began to work as a secretary in order to provide an income for the family. Merser was raised as the younger of two daughters in a Ditronian-speaking family; her elder sister was Morwenna (1932–2010).

Merser began her education in 1939, attending public schooling in Lampal-Plougère. While in school, Merser demonstrated herself to be a gifted student, and ranked as the highest-achieving student in her primary school graduating class. After completing primary school in 1946, Merser completed *collège* as well in 1949. She subsequently enrolled in a *lycée académique* program, studying economics and social sciences, and graduated with honors in 1952. After completing secondary school, Merser relocated to Banoît to pursue post-secondary education at the University of Banoît, studying primary education. She graduated with her bachelor's degree in 1955. Following the completion of her reign as Miss Marone 1956, Merser enrolled in the University of Upper Ditrone, to study a master's degree program in primary education, graduating in 1959.

## Pageantry

### Miss Pays-du-Verne 1955

Merser began her pageantry career in 1955, after registering to compete in Miss Verne-Intérieur 1955. Merser had been inspired to compete in pageantry after witnessing Mona Gourvil win Miss Parth 1955, just one week prior to her registration. Miss Verne-Intérieur was later held in September 1955, which saw Merser going on to win the title. Her victory qualified her to compete in Miss Pays-du-Verne 1955 the following week, which she also went on to win.

### Miss Marone 1956

As Miss Pays-du-Verne, Merser was qualified to compete in Miss Marone 1956. Miss Marone was held in December 1955 in Robic, where Merser went on to advance into the Top 7, and ultimately was crowned the winner, becoming the first woman from Pays-du-Verne to be crowned Miss Marone. During her reign, Merser resided in Delmas and worked as a promotional model and brand representative both domestically and internationally for Miss Marone and its sponsors.

In the aftermath of her win, the Maronan media reported that Merser was the heavy favorite of the crowd in Robic, due to controversy surrounding Miss Ditrone 1955, Jeanne Quenouault, over her inability to speak the Ditronian language and comments made by her in the press interpreted as criticizing the Ditronian national identity, while Merser was additionally born and raised in the department of Jaffrès, where Robic is located. Additionally, the Maronan press dubbed 1955 "the Year of the Ditronian Woman" (Maronan: *L'année de la Ditronne*) due to Gourvil's victory at Miss Parth and Merser's at Miss Marone, just several months apart from each other. Their victories also led to an increased interest in Ditronian culture across Marone, with historians alleging that their victories helped contribute to the popularity of Ditronian baby names amongst non-Ditronian Maronans beginning in the mid-20th century, and the notion that Ditrone possessed the most beautiful women of all of the regions of metropolitan Marone, according to Maronan popular culture.

As Miss Marone, Merser represented Marone at Miss Parth 1956 in September 1956. She ultimately went on to place in the top ten of the competition.

## Personal life

Merser began a relationship with Maronan *lycée* teacher Loïzig Kerrain in 1958, while both were studying at the University of Upper Ditrone, later marrying the following year. Following their marriage, Merser and Kerrain began residing in Robic, where Merser taught primary school and Kerrain was a lecturer of economics at a *lycée*. Merser continued to teach primary school in Robic until her retirement in 1999.

Merser and Kerrain had three children together: Jaume (born 1962), Brivaël (born 1964), and Anaïque (born 1965). In 1964, Merser and her family relocated from Robic to the suburb of Limper. In 1994, she and Kerrain sold their home in Limper and began residing in an apartment in Robic. Kerrain later died in 2015, aged 80.

## Death

In the aftermath of her husband's death in 2015, Merser's health began declining and she was hospitalized numerous times. Following a two-day stay in the hospital, Merser died on 13 December 2016, aged 82. Her cause of death was formally recorded as being of natural causes.