Laurel Lea Schaefer was the talk of the town in Columbus when, competing as Miss Ohio, she was crowned “Miss America 1972.”
Families gathered around televisions in September 1971 to root for the contestant from their home state. And, by the pageant’s end, “There she is, Miss America …” was from Bexley!
Schaefer, also known as Laurie, was in the class of 1967 at Bexley High School and went on to get a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Ohio University in Athens. Three months after graduating, she became the first Miss America to hold a college degree in the event’s 50-year history.
She is also known as likely its first winner to champion a social cause, as she showed solidarity with and was outspoken in her support of American soldiers during the Vietnam War.
A 68-unit parade and thousands of fans welcomed her back home to Bexley after she had gone on a month-long, whirlwind U.S. tour to begin her reign.
Schaefer’s career in show business has awarded her a long and varied resume – actress, vocalist, commercial spokesperson, pageant swimsuit designer, talent scout and casting director. She performed in musical theater around the country (and locally with the Kenley Players) and on TV shows, including Falcon Crest, Matlock, L.A. Law, Three’s Company, The Rockford Files and The Love Boat.
She pivoted in recent years to advise service members at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina who were coping with traumatic brain injuries. Last summer, she was back on the Miss Ohio stage in Mansfield as a member of the judging panel.
In 2015, Schaefer married Major (Ret.) Michael J. Bozoukoff at Central College Presbyterian Church in Westerville. They met during college when he was a U.S. Air Force ROTC cadet and didn’t reconnect until decades later. They live in Washington state.
Laurel Lea Schaefer is one of five Miss Americas from Ohio. The others: Mary Katherine Campbell of Columbus, an East High School grad (and a double winner), 1922 and 1923; Marilyn Meseke of Marion, 1938; Jacqueline Mayer of Sandusky, 1963; and Susan Perkins, a Miami University grad residing in Columbus, 1978.
