Mary Fischer Bruss 1974

Mary Fischer Bruss as a Regional Dairy Princess, often worked serving dairy products during her reign.

One of her favorite pictures is this photo from 1974 with Princess Kay of the Milky Way Juliette Tessmer.

Mary Fischer Bruss 1974

Parents: Luverne & Lois Fischer, Sleepy Eye
Currently: Lenexa, KS

Mary was not only a Brown County Dairy Princess in 1974, but she also served as a Regional Princess. She had the honor of having her likeness carved in butter, stating , “It was a memorable experience, sitting in a rotating freezer while people watched the sculptor at work.” Her favorite promotion, besides the butter sculpture, was the entire Princess Kay of the Milky Way experience at the State Fair. She fondly remembers staying at Farmhouse Fraternity, walking around the fairgrounds and meeting the other candidates. She also enjoyed the parades. Currently, Mary has been married to Ken Bruss from Echo, MN for 31 years. The have 3 sons: Steve, in Blaine, MN; Paul, in Manhattan, KS; and Austin, sophomore at Kansas State. Mary is a medical technologist at Shawnee Mission Medical Center, living in Lenexa, KS. To current princesses, Mary advises: “Enjoy the whole experience. People are so friendly and don’t sweat the speeches.” Currently Mary promotes the dairy industry as an avid user of dairy products. Mary also shares the following story: “During my year, my biggest fear was that I would have to milk a cow by hand in front of people. And even though it sometimes appeared on the schedule of events for a celebration, I never had to. I learn so much about myself that year and gained so much self confidence.”

1962: Connie Besemer & 1964: Shirley Marti

News paper clipping from New Ulm Journal featuring the newly crowned Connie Besemer, Dairy Princess 1962, from New Ulm.

Connie Besemer Ibberson 1962

Parents: Mr. & Mrs. Melvin Besmer, New Ulm MN

Currently: Sleepy Eye, MN

Connie’s favorite dairy promotion was during the state fair promoting ice cream. Even today she loves it! Connie left New Ulm shortly after being princess; moved to Nebraska, Minneapolis, California, back to Minneapolis, and then back to New Ulm, now residing in Sleepy Eye. Connie is retired and a volunteer for Seniors of Brown County. To current princesses: “Enjoy yourselves, but remember you are a spokesperson and represent the great dairy industry” Currently Connie continues to promote the dairy industry by eating lots of ice cream, advising others to drink milk rather than gallons of soft drinks. Connie has 2 daughters in Pennsylvania and Texas with 2 granddaughters as well as 3 step-children in Michigan, North Carolina, and South Dakota.

Shirley Marti Cuykendall 1964

Parents: Oliver & Verla Marti, Sleepy Eye, MN

Currently:  Freeville, NY
Shirley shares that her favorite promotion was riding in parades. She and her husband Charles live in Central New York. They have 3 adult children and 5 grandchildren. She is retired but keeps very busy with volunteer work for her church. After receiving her B.S. degree in Home Economics Extension from the University of Minnesota, she worked in interior design for a few years, then was a full time mom and went back to work in the school system working in cafeterias. She was Director of Food Service for Lansing Central School for 13.5 years running 3 cafeterias. Shirley promoted the dairy industry through her profession, she would use the dairy industry’s promotional materials sent to her schools and put the posters up. She even used an inflatable cow, hanging from the ceiling.

Welcome to Cows n' Crowns!!!

Welcome to Cows n" Crowns...a celebration of the 50 great years that we have been honored to have a wonderful Dairy Princess Program in Brown County.  I hope to use this blog to highlight the great people that have worked in our county and showcase some of the great pictures and articles that they have shared with me.  It's truly been an honor to serve as a princess and now as the princess coordinator for this county.  The passion for the dairy industry is very deep in this county...the people know and love their cows and the product that they produce.  I hope that you will find this to be an interesting blog about the progress of the dairy industry in the past 50 years and a celebration of the people that made it so great!  So here's Brown County's Princess Program by the numbers (to start us out).....

Brown County has:

• 104 Princesses in the past 50 years
• 8 Regional Dairy Princess Attendants
• 12 Butterheads and one more on the way this August, at the Minnesota State Fair
• 11 Regional Princesses or Finalists for Princess Kay
• 2 Runners-Up to Princess Kay of the Milky Way
• 1 Princess Kay of the Milky Way

It's been a busy 50 years!  More to come tomorrow...stay tuned...highlighting the very FIRST Brown County Dairy Princess from 1960!