Debra Snodgrass, Miss America 1968 who grew up in Moran as Debra Dene Barnes, will be in Iola Saturday to speak at Wesley United Methodist Church. The appearance, sponsored by Wesley United Methodist Women, will start at 10:15 a.m.
“We thought people would enjoy hearing Debbie speak,” said Beverly Franklin, one of the organizers.
Snodgrass is an accomplished pianist. She has taught piano since age 12 and is assistant professor of music at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin.
She used scholarships she received from local, state and national finals of the Miss America Pageant to complete bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music, with emphasis on piano performance, at Pittsburg State University.
In January 2007 Snodgrass won the concerto competition at Pittsburg State and was soloist in the April 2008 concert of the Southeast Kansas Symphony. She also has given solo piano recitals at Missouri Southern the past five years and was invited to play two recitals in Louisville, Ky.
She and husband Bill live in Carthage, Mo. She is the mother of two grown daughters and has five grandchildren. She is music director at Faith Life Worship Center in Carthage.
During the past 40 years, Snodgrass has traveled as a motivational speaker for elementary and secondary schools, colleges, civic organizations and youth and women’s retreats and has given her Christian testimony to churches of all denominations.
She has appeared on many television shows and was a judge for the 1996 Miss America Pageant. She also was one of 40 former Miss Americas who participated in the 90th celebration of the pageant in January 2011.
