Annette Seitz Olson, 1995

Annette Olson, 1995 Brown County Dairy Ambassador: 1993 & 1994

Parents: Ron & Cathy Seitz, New Ulm
Current Address:  New Ulm, MN
Annette was crowned the 1995 Region IX Dairy Princess and she sure did have her head carved in butter. Annette shares that her favorite dairy promotion/memory, “I simply loved all the different activities I had a chance to participate in. From talking to eager to learn students at elementary schools; to waving at family, friends, and excited people at parades; to talking with customers/employees at grocery store promotions; and the chance to represent Brown County and Region IX at the Princess Kay of the Milky Way contest and at the MN State Fair.” Today Annette, can be seen with her husband, Dan and two children, Kallie (5) and Kaden (3). If she is not with them she can be seen working at the Brown County License Bureau in New Ulm. To current princesses, Annette says, “Take time to enjoy your honor of representing the dairy farmers of Brown County (or possibly the state of Minnesota)! You support the dairy farmers and they'll be supporting you. The time of being a princess goes fast - but it is your time - make the most of it! This is your time to be a dairy advocate and a princess (every little girls dream)! When asked how she still promotes dairy products, Annette responded, “I still try to advertise the use of dairy products when hosting functions at our home. I will continue to support all of the remaining hard working dairy farmers. I still continue to say...You scream, I scream, we all scream for ICE CREAM. Thank you dairy farmers and manufacturers for making so many wonderful dairy products for the consumers like me to purchase!” Annette also shares an interesting story, “Prior to the 1997 dairy princess contest, I had the pleasure of working with the Region IX Dairy Princess and Attendants. These three where good friends of mine through the years: the 1997 Region IX Dairy Princess was my best friend, Kelly (Beranek) Brennan from Nicollet County and the attendants where our 1997 Brown County Dairy Princesses...Deanne (Tauer) Horter and Christy (Wensauer) Kallevig. It was a very fun year and great to have worked with them prior to and during their contests.”

Lisa Lax Moldaschel, 1984

Princess Kay of the Milky Way Barbra Jean Bianchi with Lisa Lax.

Lisa on the Band Stand Stage at the Minnesota State Fair, the night of the Princess Kay of the Milky Way Coronation.

Lisa with her block of butter, before the masterpiece was created!

Lisa with the finished product!  It's a definite match!

Lisa enjoyed the daily parades at the Minnesota State Fair. 

Lisa pictured above with the 1985 Brown County Dairy Princesses Mary Windschitl and Cheryl Marti.

Lisa Lax Moldaschel, 1984

Parents: Albert & Dorothy Lax, Sleepy Eye
Currently: Sleepy Eye MN
Lisa not only served Brown County as Dairy Princess in 1984, but also the Region as Regional Dairy Princess. She also had the enjoyable experience of having her likeness carved into a 90 pound block of butter! Her favorite memories from her reign include: the Minnesota State Fair, posing in the butter cooler to have her likeness carved in butter made by AMPI of New Ulm. “It was fun to see the people on the outside of the glass cooler; their looks and expressions, especially the kids!” Currently Lisa lives in Sleepy Eye with her husband Ron and their 2 children Jae and Holly. She works at NAPA Auto and Truck Parts as a counter salesperson. To current princesses Lisa says, “Always be yourself. No one can do it better than you. Always appreciate your dairy farm background. It’s a great character builder that will take you through life!” Lisa makes sure to look for “Real” Dairy products at the grocery store, “I teach my daughter that real dairy is always better than the “fakes.”” An interesting story that Lisa shares: “There was so many parades! I especially remember with fondness the red convertible that my dad bought solely to take me in to the parades, needless to say he was proud! And there was the Heritagefest Parade that year in New Ulm, where a young man in the crowd threw a water balloon at me, and as it passed by I reached out and caught it. I threw it back at him, definitely catching him off guard!” Lesson learned: Never mess with dairy farmer’s daughters!

Marlys Forstner Davis, 1976

Marlys Forstner Davis, 1976


Parents: Gene (deceased Oct. 12, 2001) and Evelyn Forstner, Sleepy Eye, Minnesota

Currently: Beaverton, OR 97005

Marlys had the honor of serving as a regional dairy princess in 1976, which means she did have her head carved in butter! Her favorite part of being regional dairy princess was meeting people from all over the state who she competed against. They had some wonderful, talented young women competing in 1976. Marlys also says, “It was also lots of fun riding in the many parades in Southern Minnesota while representing the dairy industry in Brown County.” In 1978 Marlys married Gerard Davis and moved to Beaverton. Oregon. They have lived there for the past 32 years. They have a 15-year old son, Dalton. They adopted him from India in 1994. Marlys works as a grocery checker for WinCo Foods, where she has been for the past 32 years also! Some of the time she spends as store bookkeeper, but most of the time she has enjoyed checking groceries. Marlys advises current princesses: “Enjoy all the people you get to meet during the process. There are definitely wonderful princesses from around the state. Be yourself and show your own special characteristics to the judges. A great smile is always important!” In Oregon Marlys enjoys Tillamook Dairy and in the Portland area, she enjoys Alpenrose Dairy. “Tillamook Dairy makes some wonderful cheeses. My son and husband are hooked on their Vanilla Bean Yogurt. At Alpenrose, they have organic milk and other milk products. I support them by buying their products. I also buy Schwan’s frozen yogurt! We get the Schwan’s man out here too!”

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.”