1. Armi Helena Kuusela was one of six children born to Finnish parents who owned and operated a small family business, except when her father, a decorated veteran, fought for Finland during World War II.
13 Facts About Armi Kuusela
1. 2.
Armi Kuusela attended Elementary and Middle School in Muhos, and Porvoon Naisopisto Boarding School in Porvoo, Finland.
3.
Armi Kuusela was unexpectedly invited to participate in Finland's national beauty pageant because the mother of her boarding school roommate responded to a public notice seeking the ideal representative for Suomen Neito,.
4.
On May 24,1952, Armi Kuusela won Finland's national title, which qualified her to compete in the first Miss Universe Pageant.
5.
On 17 June 1952, chaperoned by her older sister, Armi Kuusela took the Pan Am flight from Helsinki to Long Beach, California, where she took part in the first Miss Universe Pageant.
6.
That year, Armi Kuusela starred in a Finnish movie about her titled Maailman kaunein tytto.
7.
At the request of the Finnish government shortly after winning the Miss Universe Pageant, Armi Kuusela attended the Olympics in Finland that year.
8.
On 22 February 1953, Armi Kuusela embarked upon a world tour, again with her older sister as chaperone.
9.
Armi Kuusela attended the Philippines Exposition and crowned Miss Philippines.
10.
Hilario died of a heart attack on 7 September 1975, and until 1979, Kuusela was chief executive officer of Gilarmi Corporation and Honorary Counsel of Finland in Manila.
11.
Armi Kuusela supported Williams in his subsequent appointment as American Consul General in Barcelona, Spain, where they resided from 1979 to 1983.
12.
Armi Kuusela visited her native town of Muhos in August 2014.
13.
Armi Kuusela's visit was an official meeting with the city municipal manager.