Bigfork woman brings home memories, not crown

Shelley Emslie of Bigfork, Mrs. Montana United States, didn't win the national title but she made a lifetime of memories competing at the national pageant recently in Las Vegas.

"It was an absolute blast," she said.

"And the kids had the best time."

Mrs. South Carolina, Gariane Gunter, took the title. Emslie said she was proud to have her representing the country as Mrs. United States.

"She's 31, a doctor and she looks like Barbie," she said.

Many of the other contestants also were accomplished professionals including an obstetrician, psychiatrist, lawyers and more.

Emslie and her husband, Todd, are teachers at Swan River School. They have two children: Alex, 8, and Hattie, 6.

Her parents, Ernest and Laura Peterson, also live in Bigfork.

Her husband, children and parents as well as an extended entourage of relatives and friends traveled to Las Vegas for the national pageant the week of July 20.

Emslie won the Mrs. Montana United States title on May 28.

From the moment she arrived at the national pageant, Emslie said she was busy nonstop, including exhausting rehearsals for the big musical number.

As an untrained dancer, she viewed that part of the contest with a certain degree of dread.

"We practiced and we practiced and we practiced until we wanted to wring the producer's neck," she said. "Then they played the wrong music so we only got to do part of it."

Emslie said she breathed a sigh of relief at that reprieve, although the other contestants were helping her keep on beat.

"I was next to Mrs. Missouri, a professional dancer - she was counting for me," she said. "Mrs. Arizona was on the other side. They both knew what they were doing."

According to Emslie, nearly all the women were helpful rather than the back-biting stereotype of beauty queens dousing each others' gowns with pepper spray. As in past competitions, she said she came back with solid friendships.

"Most of us have already e-mailed each other," she said.

"My roommate, Mrs. Washington, and I will be friends for life."

Her roommate took the Mrs. Congeniality title, an honor Emslie said Angie Foster well deserved for her positive and sunny outlook.

Because pageant rules required them to wear their sashes everywhere, Emslie spent some time posing with people for pictures. She was tracked down by a group of Montana girls in Las Vegas for a basketball tournament.

"The amount of support was amazing," she said.

As a veteran of several pageants, Emslie had said prior to leaving that these contests boil down to a few judges' opinions based on a few minutes of exposure to each woman. Not making the finalist list wasn't a blow.

"I did my personal best in everything," she said. "I'm not a bit disappointed."

She said that competing in a national pageant fulfilled a major goal in her life. She said she didn't feel the need to continue entering pageants.

"I had fun every moment," she said. "But it's not something I need to do again. I'm very fulfilled."

Emslie now looks forward to her speaking engagements as Mrs. Montana United States, including a presentation to the Kalispell Rotary on Aug. 4. She looks forward to talking about her own experience with the disease lupus and promoting two organizations that she founded.

One, Help Our Seniors Today, takes portraits of seniors at nursing homes. Another she named Hope Images seeks to use photographs to inspire people battling cancer.

Emslie also serves as an army leader for the Lance Armstrong Foundation and a photographer for "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep," a group that takes bereavement photos of stillborn babies and of newborns facing death.

She welcomes opportunities to speak as Mrs. Montana United States.

"If I can inspire someone along the way - fantastic," she said.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.