Colleen Kay Hutchins

Colleen Kay Hutchins
Born	May 23, 1926 Salt Lake City, Utah, US
Died	March 24, 2010(2010-03-24) (aged 83) Newport Beach, California, US
Alma mater	Brigham Young University
Title	Miss Utah 1951 Miss America 1952
Predecessor	Yolande Betbeze
Successor	Neva Jane Langley
Spouse	Ernie Vandeweghe ​ (m. 1953)​
Children	4, including Kiki and Tauna Vandeweghe
Relatives	Mel Hutchins (brother) CoCo Vandeweghe (granddaughter)

Colleen Kay Hutchins (May 23, 1926 – March 24, 2010) was Miss America 1952.

Early life

Hutchins was a native of Arcadia, California. Her brother, Mel Hutchins, later became a basketball player for the Milwaukee Hawks, Fort Wayne Pistons, and New York Knicks.

Pageantry

Hutchins was crowned as Brigham Young University's homecoming queen in 1947. In September 1951, she was crowned as Miss America, the first Miss Utah to win the pageant.

Personal life

Hutchins met future husband Ernie Vandeweghe at a New York Knicks basketball game at Madison Square Garden after a friend introduced her to the team's forward. The couple married in May 1953, and had four children: son, Kiki, a professional basketball player and executive; daughter, Tauna, an Olympic swimmer, son, Bruk; and daughter, Heather. Hutchins is also the grandmother of professional tennis player CoCo Vandeweghe, daughter of Tauna. She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Vandeweghes resided in Indian Wells, California, Laguna Beach, California and Palm Springs, California. She died on March 24, 2010, in Newport Beach, at age 83.

Sources

• Garr, Arnold K., Donald Q. Cannon and Richard O. Cowan ed., Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History, p. 526