Donna Axum

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Donna Idelle Axum
Born 1942
Died 2018
Alma mater University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
Occupation University instructor, author, TV executive producer, TV hostess, professional speaker, civic leader
Title Miss America 1964
Predecessor Jacquelyn Mayer
Successor Vonda Kay Van Dyke
Spouse(s) Michael Alan Buckley
Gus Franklin Mutscher
J. Bryan Whitworth

Donna Idelle Axum (born 1942, died November 4 2018) was an American beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss America in 1964.

Axum from El Dorado, Arkansas, lived in Fort Worth, Texas, and was a member of the boards of the National Committee for the Performing Arts of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., the Fort Worth Symphony, the Van Cliburn Foundation, named for the late pianist formerly from Shreveport, Louisiana, and the Texas Christian University College of Fine Arts Board of Visitors.[1]

Personal life

Axum first married Michael Alan Buckley and had one child, Lisa. She divorced Buckley and 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. They later divorced.

Career

Axum held many titles since serving as Miss America: university instructor, author, television executive producer and TV hostess, professional speaker and civic leader. Her Miss America scholarship was used to complete her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville in Speech/Drama, Television and Film. While there, she was a member of the Delta Iota Chapter of Delta Delta Delta. In 1988, Axum was named a Distinguished Alumnus of UA and serves on its National Development Council. She also served on the steering committee of a seven-year capital campaign that raised more than $1.0 billion for the university.[2]

Heavily involved in the arts on the local, state and national levels, Donna served as chair of the executive committee for the National Committee for the Performing Arts for the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. She also serves on the executive committees of the Fort Worth Symphony and the Van Cliburn Foundation and the Texas Christian University College of Fine Arts Board of Visitors. At the state level, Donna is Chair of the Texas Cultural Trust, the 501c3 arm of the Texas Commission on the Arts and a founder of Texas Women for the Arts.

Beliefs

Her faith was a stronghold of her life and was reflected in her service to the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary as an Advisory Board Member where she worked in the areas of development and women's ministries.

Family

She was married to J. Bryan Whitworth, a retired Executive Vice President of ConocoPhillips and now a counsel of Wachtell, Lipton, Rozen and Katz, a New York City law firm specializing in mergers and acquitions. They celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on March 1, 2009. Collectively, they hadfive children and ten grandchildren.

References

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External links

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Miss America
1964
Succeeded by
Vonda Kay Van Dyke
Preceded by
Edye Addington
Miss Arkansas
1963
Succeeded by
Pam Jackson


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