Autumn Wiggins, Robyn Forbess, Alisha Williams, Natalee Beeler Win Titles

  • Sunday, August 24, 2003
  • Wendy King
The 2004 Hamilton County Scholarship Association titleholders surround Miss Tennessee 2003 Jamie Watkins. Left to right are Autumn Wiggins, Miss Hamilton County; Alisha Williams Miss Chattanooga; Miss Watkins;  Natalee Beeler Miss Southeast Tennessee and Robyn Forbess Miss Tennessee Valley. Click to enlarge.
The 2004 Hamilton County Scholarship Association titleholders surround Miss Tennessee 2003 Jamie Watkins. Left to right are Autumn Wiggins, Miss Hamilton County; Alisha Williams Miss Chattanooga; Miss Watkins; Natalee Beeler Miss Southeast Tennessee and Robyn Forbess Miss Tennessee Valley. Click to enlarge.
photo by Wendy King

Four women earned the opportunity to become Miss Tennessee 2004 this weekend by winning Miss America local preliminary titles in the competition sponsored by the Hamilton County Scholarship Association.

Alisha Williams was selected Miss Chattanooga and Natalee Beeler became Miss Southeast Tennessee on Sunday at the conclusion of the two-day pageant at Chattanooga State. On Saturday evening, Autumn Wiggins was crowned Miss Hamilton County and Robyn Forbess was named Miss Tennessee Valley.

While Beeler, Wiggins and Forbess will be making return trips to the state finals, it will be the first time for Williams, who in becoming Miss Chattanooga captured the title that has eluded her for three years.

The senior nursing major at UT-Chattanooga sang “Amazing Grace” for her talent and was visibly shocked when emcee Jason Walker of 96 the Mountain announced her victory to the audience at the Bond Auditorium. Earlier, she had won the People’s Choice Award.

Williams, who hopes to become a nurse anestheist, works at the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital. She is president of the Mortar Board honor society at UTC and is a member of Sigma Kappa sorority.

Heather Wilcoxon was first runner up to Williams, followed by Jaclyn Roe, Megan Vining and Stephanie Mallard.

Beeler, a former Tennessee Junior Miss, performed her vocal rendition of “All That Jazz” which earned her top talent honors. The Powell resident and graduate of UT-Knoxville teaches fourth and fifth grade music at the Christian Academy of Knoxville.

Rebecca Stewart, who was the overall swimsuit winner, was first runner up to Beeler while Katy Johnson placed as second runner up with Jackie Patterson being third runner up.

On Saturday evening, Wiggins and Forbess were the winners. Wiggins, a Lee University graduate, repeated her talent winning performance at Miss Tennessee with her version of “Since I Fell For You”. She is currently employed at Cornerstone Mortgage in Ringgold.

Wiggins’ runner-ups respectively were Lindsay Moffett and Wilcoxon.

Forbess, a teacher at Mumford High School in Tipton County near Memphis, sang “Tell Me On Sunday.”

Stewart was first runner up and Beeler was second runner up.

Stewart was also named the first recipient of the Pat Dooley Community Service Award named for 35-year Miss America Organization volunteer who revived the Hamilton County program several years ago. Dooley passed away recently after a lengthy illness.

Miss Tennessee Jamie Watkins of Soddy-Daisy was a special guest both days signing autographs and previewing her Miss America talent singing “If I Can Dream”. Watkins departs for Washington, DC on September 1st where she will meet with Secretary of Education Rod Paige and Senators Bill Frist and Lamar Alexander before heading to Atlantic City for the Miss America competition.

Pageant historian Ernest Cross was honored for his years of service to the Hamilton County Scholarship Association on Sunday. Cross has compiled articles and photos of Miss Chattanoogas, Hamilton Counties, Southeast Tennessees and Tennessee Valley dating as far back as the 1950s.

Miss Chattanooga Court of Honor includes, left to right, Stephanie Mallard 4th runner up; Jaclyn Roe 2nd runner up; Miss Chattanooga 2004 Alisha Williams; Heather Wilcoxon 1st runner up and Megan Vining 3rd runner up.
Miss Chattanooga Court of Honor includes, left to right, Stephanie Mallard 4th runner up; Jaclyn Roe 2nd runner up; Miss Chattanooga 2004 Alisha Williams; Heather Wilcoxon 1st runner up and Megan Vining 3rd runner up.
photo by Wendy King
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