Heather French Henry

Heather French Henry
Born (1974-12-29) December 29, 1974
Alma mater University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning
Occupation Fashion Designer
Title Miss Louisville 1999
Miss Kentucky 1999
Miss America 2000
Term September 18, 1999 - October 14, 2000
Predecessor Nicole Johnson
Successor Angela Perez Baraquio
Spouse(s)
Steve Henry (m. 2000)
Children 2

Heather Renee French Henry (born December 29, 1974)[1] is a Miss America title holder, personality, fashion designer and veterans advocate. She is married to former Kentucky Lieutenant Governor Steve Henry, who is 21 years her senior.[2]

Biography

Raised in Augusta, Kentucky, French Henry graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning. She competed in pageants through her teens, including the Miss Ohio pageant. She competed in the Miss Kentucky Pageant four times before winning the title on her fifth attempt in 1999. She won the 2000 Miss America pageant in September 1999, the first Kentuckian to do so. Her platform for her reign was raising awareness of homeless veterans; her father was a wounded veteran of the Vietnam War. She has received numerous awards for her work with veterans.[3]

On October 27, 2000, she married Kentucky Lieutenant Governor Steve Henry, 21 years her senior, in Louisville, Kentucky.[4] The couple have two daughters, Harper Renee (born 2001) and Taylor Augusta (born 2003).[5]

In October 2003, French Henry struck and subsequently killed Karola Stede, 44, a native of Germany and mother of four who was crossing against the traffic light in a Louisville intersection. French said that the accident deeply affected her, and she subsequently recounted her story in venues such as The Oprah Winfrey Show.[6]

French Henry participated in Don't Forget the Lyrics episode that aired on December 12, 2008, appearing with Susan Powell (Miss America 1981) and Kirsten Haglund (Miss America 2008).

On June 26, 2010, French Henry hosted the Miss Virginia pageant in Roanoke, Virginia.

On July 1, 2014, Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear appointed Henry Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Kentucky Birth Index, 1911-1999". Ancestry.com. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
  2. ↑ Contributor, Tops Louisville. "There She Is". www.topslouisville.com. Retrieved 2018-10-13.
  3. ↑ "Miss America : 2000". Archived from the original on 2008-09-20.
  4. ↑ Ex-Miss America becomes Mrs. Steve Henry today
  5. ↑ "Louisville Wedding-Weddings in Louisville-Louisville-Kentucky". Louisville Wedding-Weddings in Louisville-Louisville-Kentucky. Archived from the original on 2008-12-04.
  6. ↑ "Heather French Henry relives pain on 'Oprah'".
  7. ↑ "Veterans Affairs : KDVA Commissioner".
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Nicole Johnson		 Miss America
2000		 Succeeded by
Angela Perez Baraquio
Preceded by
Chera-Lyn Cook		 Miss Kentucky
1999		 Succeeded by
Shanna Kari Moore
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