1. Donna Axum was an American beauty pageant winner, author, television executive producer, philanthropist and model.
17 Facts About Donna Axum
1. 2.
Donna Axum secured titles as the 1960 Arkansas Miss Hospitality, 1961 Arkansas Forest Queen, and the 1962 National Cotton Picking Queen.
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In 1963, before her final year at the University of Arkansas, Donna Axum became a contestant again and won the 1963 beauty pageant title as Miss Arkansas.
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Donna Axum won the Miss America 1964 pageant about a month later.
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Donna Axum become the first of only three Arkansans to win the title.
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Donna Axum traveled over 250,000 miles representing the state and nation as Miss America at events.
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Donna Axum held many titles after serving as Miss America: university instructor, author, television executive producer, TV hostess, professional speaker and civic leader.
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In 1988, Donna Axum was named a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Arkansas and served on its National Development Council.
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Donna Axum served on the steering committee of a seven-year capital campaign that raised more than $1.046 billion for the university.
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Donna Axum taught speech classes at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, and later worked in television, starring in programs like The Noon Show and Good Morning Arkansas.
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Donna Axum was nominated by President Bill Clinton to be a member of the boards of the National Committee for the Performing Arts of the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC She served at the Fort Worth Symphony, the Van Cliburn Foundation, named for the famed pianist from Shreveport, Louisiana, and the Texas Christian University College of Fine Arts Board of Visitors.
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Donna Axum remained active at the University of Arkansas, participating in campaigns to help most of the university's fundraising efforts until her death in 2018.
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Donna Axum first married Michael Alan Buckley and had one child, Lisa.
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In 1969, Donna Axum married Gus Franklin Mutscher, who served as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives from 1969 to 1972 and later as the Washington County judge.
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On March 1,1984, Axum married J Bryan Whitworth, executive vice president of ConocoPhillips.
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Donna Axum died on November 4,2018, at age 76 in Fort Worth from complications of Parkinson's disease.
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Donna Axum is buried at Fairview Memorial Gardens in Fayetteville, Arkansas.