Marksville Native Crowned Miss Avoyelles in 1980

Chrissie Ann Loughman, a Marksville High School student, won the parish-wide pageant sponsored by the Arts and Humanities Council.

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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In 1980, Chrissie Ann Loughman, a student at Marksville High School, was crowned Miss Avoyelles Parish following a parishwide pageant held at the Marksville High School gymnasium. The event was sponsored by the Arts and Humanities Council of Avoyelles in cooperation with the Avoyelles Parish School Board.

Why it matters

The Miss Avoyelles pageant marked a return to an earlier parish tradition of selecting a young woman to serve as a representative for Avoyelles Parish at cultural and community events, highlighting the importance of community involvement and local pride.

The details

Contestants from across the parish participated in the pageant, which focused on poise, personality and community involvement. Trophies were awarded to the queen and top runners-up following the competition. Chrissie Ann Loughman was crowned Miss Avoyelles Parish, with Mary Ellen Nugent as the second runner-up and Hanna Baldridge as the first runner-up.

  • The pageant was held on Saturday, February 16, 1980.
  • The article was originally published in The Greater Avoyelles Journal on Tuesday, February 26, 1980.

The players

Chrissie Ann Loughman

A student at Marksville High School who was crowned Miss Avoyelles Parish in 1980.

Mary Ellen Nugent

The second runner-up in the 1980 Miss Avoyelles Parish pageant.

Hanna Baldridge

The first runner-up in the 1980 Miss Avoyelles Parish pageant, who later represented Miss Avoyelles Parish CDC.

Arts and Humanities Council of Avoyelles

The organization that sponsored the 1980 Miss Avoyelles Parish pageant in cooperation with the Avoyelles Parish School Board.

Avoyelles Parish School Board

The organization that co-sponsored the 1980 Miss Avoyelles Parish pageant with the Arts and Humanities Council of Avoyelles.

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The takeaway

The Miss Avoyelles pageant in 1980 was a celebration of community pride and involvement, with Chrissie Ann Loughman representing the parish as a young ambassador at cultural and civic events.