Photo: Brianschwartz / CC BY-SA 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
My admiration for Marilyn Van Derbur lies entirely in her second act. Born in Denver in 1937 and crowned Miss America 1958, she was the picture of mid-century glamour, but that crown is not what moves me. What does is her later courage in speaking openly about a harrowing personal history and reinventing herself as a motivational speaker who helps others heal. Her 1996 induction into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame reads, to me, as recognition of spirit rather than beauty. To set down the tiara and turn pain into words is its own kind of grace, and I quietly applaud her for it.
Overview
Marilyn Elaine Van Derbur (born June 16, 1937) is an American author, motivational speaker, and beauty pageant titleholder. In July 1957, she was crowned Miss Colorado 1957. On September 7, 1957, she was crowned Miss America 1958 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, by the outgoing Miss America 1957, Marian McKnight.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Marilyn Van Derbur
- Name (Japanese)
- マリリン・ヴァン・ダーバー
- Reading
- まりりん・ゔぁん・だーばー
- Born
- June 6, 1937 (age 89)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Ox
- Origin
- Denver, Colorado, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- actor / model / motivational speaker / beauty pageant contestant / writer
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- University of Colorado Boulder
Awards & achievements
- 1996 Colorado Women's Hall of Fame
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Actor — see all → · Model — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.