Armi Kuusela

Armi Helena Kuusela (born 20 August 1934) is a Finnish charity worker, model and beauty queen. In 1952 she won the national beauty contest Suomen Neito and was presented with a trip to the United States to participate in the first-ever Miss Universe pageant, becoming its first titleholder.

Armi Kuusela
Armi Kuusela
Born
Armi Helena Kuusela

(1934-08-20) 20 August 1934
Muhos, Finland
Height1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
TitleSuomen Neito 1952
Miss Universe 1952
Beauty pageant titleholder
Hair colorBlonde
Eye colorBlue
Major
competition(s)		Suomen Neito 1952
(Winner)
Miss Universe 1952
(Winner)

Miss Universe

When Kuusela won Finland's national pageant, Suomen Neito, on 24 May 1952, she was awarded a box of chocolates, a gold bangle, and a return ticket sponsored by Pan American Airways to the United States.

On 17 June, Kuusela took a Pan Am flight from Helsinki to Long Beach, California where she took part in the first Miss Universe contest.

Thirty contestants participated in the first Miss Universe pageant in 1952. It was held on 28 June 1952, and Kuusela, as Suomen Neito, captured the crown. At her crowning she was only 17 years old. At the time she weighed 49 kg (108 lb), and her height was 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in).

Immediately after her winning there was a Finnish movie made of her, called Maailman kaunein tyttö [The World's Most Beautiful Girl] where she played herself, and Tauno Palo played the role of Jack Coleman. It was directed by Veikko Itkonen, with writing credits going to Mika Waltari.

Life after Miss Universe

Marriage and life in the Philippines

On 22 February 1953, Kuusela took a journey round the world, during which time she met Filipino businessman Virgilio Hilario. Less than a year after being crowned, Kuusela chose to give up her Miss Universe crown on 4 May 1953 to marry Hilario in Tokyo after a whirlwind courtship.

They had met in March at a dance in Baguio, the summer capital of the Philippines, when Kuusela as Miss Universe had gone to the country for the International Trade Exposition. They honeymooned in the Hawaiian Islands, toured the United States and then Europe,[1] before settling in Manila, the Philippines.[2]

Kuusela and Hilario had five children: Arne, Anna-Lisa, Jose (Jussi), Eva-Maria and Miguel (Mikko).[3]

Later life

Hilario died of a heart attack on 7 September 1975, and Kuusela remarried to American diplomat Albert Williams on 8 June 1978. The couple moved to Barcelona, then to Izmir, Turkey, before settling in La Jolla, a community in San Diego, California, United States. As of 2011, she and her husband were still living there.[4]

In 2012 Kuusela was awarded the Order of the White Rose of Finland, with the rank of Knight (First Class).[5]

She visited her native town of Muhos in August 2014. Her visit was an official meeting with the city municipal manager.[6] Kuusela is still active in her community, participating in charities and involved in cancer research at the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute.

References
  1. "Miss Universe Married To Filipino With Black Eye". The Victoria Advocate. Victoria, Texas. 5 May 1953. p. 8, col. 3-4. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  2. "Miss Universe 1952 – Armi Kuusela". muhos.fi. Archived from the original on September 15, 2007. Retrieved 20 November 2010.
  3. Lo, Ricky (28 June 2006). "A misty-eyed look at Armi Kuusela, the 1st Miss Universe". philstar.com. The Philippine Star. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  4. Bell, Diane (5 September 2014). "La Jollan Was First 'Miss Universe'". sandiegouniontribune.com. The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  5. "IS vieraili upean Armi Kuuselan, 78, kotona Kaliforniassa." Ilta-Sanomat 18 December 2012.
  6. Armi Kuusela kirjoitti kotiin. Yle.fi, viitattu 17 April 2014
Awards and achievements
New title Miss Universe
1952		 Succeeded by
Christiane Martel
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