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===Death=== |
===Death=== |
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On August 12, 2021, it was announced that some of Robertson's future engagements had been canceled due to a "serious but non-[[COVID]]-related" illness. She died on August 21, 2021, at age 77.<ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.wral.com/nc-humorist-dies-unexpectedly-at-77/19836994/|title = 'All the angels are laughing': NC humorist dies unexpectedly at 77|work = [[WRAL-TV]]|date = August 21, 2021|accessdate = August 21, 2021}}</ref> |
On August 12, 2021, it was announced that some of Robertson's future engagements had been canceled due to a "serious but non-[[COVID]]-related" illness. She died on August 21, 2021, at age 77.<ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.wral.com/nc-humorist-dies-unexpectedly-at-77/19836994/|title = 'All the angels are laughing': NC humorist dies unexpectedly at 77|work = [[WRAL-TV]]|date = August 21, 2021|accessdate = August 21, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Moses|first=Omotayo|date=2021-08-23|title=Jeanne Robertson Biography, Career, Age, Weight, Height, Body, Cause Of Her Death, Husband, Net Worth, Education, Death|url=https://linkuppuppies.com/jeanne-robertson-biography-career-age-weight-height-body-cause-of-her-death-husband-net-worth-education-death/|access-date=2021-08-24|website=LINK UP PUPPIES|language=en-US}}</ref> |
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==Books== |
==Books== |
Revision as of 07:26, 24 August 2021
Jeanne Robertson | |
---|---|
Born | Jeanne Flinn Swanner September 21, 1943 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
Died | August 21, 2021 | (aged 77)
Education | Auburn University |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1963–2021 |
Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
Spouse | Jerry Robertson (died 2021) |
Beauty pageant titleholder | |
Title | Miss North Carolina 1963 |
Hair color | White[1] (formerly blond)[2] |
Major competition(s) | Miss America 1964 |
Website | jeannerobertson |
Jeanne Flinn Swanner Robertson (September 21, 1943 – August 21, 2021) was an American athlete, teacher, humorist, motivational speaker,[2] YouTube personality, and Miss North Carolina.
Early life
Jeanne (pronounced "Genie") Flinn Swanner was born at the Chelsea Naval Hospital near Boston, Massachusetts and raised in Graham, North Carolina,[3][2] one of three daughters. Not only was she taller than sisters Katherine and Andrea,[4] she was also especially tall as a youth, growing to 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) by age 13 and in seventh grade.[4] She was an avid basketball player.[2]
Pageant participant
In 1963, at age 19, she was named Miss North Carolina[5][6] and went on to be named Miss Congeniality in that year's Miss America competition.[7][2][8] As of 2021, Jeanne Swanner, at 6 foot 2, is still the tallest contestant ever in the Miss America pageant.[9] Robertson credited her reign as the catalyst for her career.[10][11]
Following her Miss North Carolina reign, Robertson used the scholarship funds to fund her college education at Auburn University, where she majored in physical education, joined Alpha Gamma Delta,[12] and played on its basketball team,[2] graduating in 1967.[13] In 1990 she was inducted as an alumni member of the Omicron Delta Kappa Circle at Auburn University.[14]
Career
Robertson taught physical education for eight years in North Carolina.[15]
Although she began her public speaking career with her pageant title, Robertson achieved much more national attention as a humorist and speaker. Her anecdotes have been broadcast regularly on satellite radio comedy channels, including XM Radio's Laugh USA, Sirius Radio's Blue Collar Comedy and its Family Comedy Channel,[13][2] and Laugh Break. Her popularity soared, however, in 2009 after a handful of humorous clips from her talks became popular videos.[11][2] Robertson distinguished between a humorist, which she considered herself, and a comedian, stating, "The humorist weaves the longer stories with a point. We don't go 'after' anybody. I'm telling my life."[7]
In 1980 she was designated a Certified Speaking Professional by the National Speakers Association, and served as the association's president in 1985.[13] She was also an award-winning Toastmaster.[2]
On April 29, 2008, she spoke at the White House for National Volunteer Week to honor the 1,300 volunteers who donate time to work at the White House.[13]
Honors and awards
- National Speakers Association Speaker Hall of Fame (inducted in 1981)[13]
- National Speakers Association Cavett Award (1989); first woman to receive the award[13]
- Omicron Delta Kappa (inducted in 1990 as an alumna at Auburn University)
- Toastmasters International Golden Gavel Award (1998)[13]
- North Carolina Press Association North Carolinian of the Year (2001)[13]
Graham Historical Museum, in her hometown of Graham, North Carolina, features a permanent exhibit, Jeanne Swanner Robertson.[16]
Personal life
Jeanne was married to Jerry Ray Robertson,[17] a graduate of Duke University where, at 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) tall[17] and on an athletic scholarship,[18] he played on its basketball team, serving as its captain in 1959.[19][2] Jerry received his master's degree and doctorate at the University of North Carolina[18] and was an educator, principal and later worked in business.[2][20][21] In her performances, Jeanne would frequently refer to him as "Left Brain", or sometimes "LB".[17][20] Jerry Robertson died on June 7, 2021.[20][21]
At the time of her marriage to Jerry, Jeanne had a son from a previous marriage, Walter Bailey "Beaver" Bowline III.[13] Beaver is a 1989 graduate of Elon University, where Jeanne was a trustee.[13][1]
Jeanne and Jerry Robertson were both members of Elon University's Phoenix Club, which supports the athletic program.[13] Jeanne was an outspoken Christian, and a member of the Methodist church.[22]
She claimed her favorite television series was The Andy Griffith Show.[3] Her 1995 book, Mayberry Humor Across the USA, furthers her connection to Griffith's show.
Death
On August 12, 2021, it was announced that some of Robertson's future engagements had been canceled due to a "serious but non-COVID-related" illness. She died on August 21, 2021, at age 77.[23][24]
Books
During her lifetime, Robertson authored four books:[2]
- Humor: The Magic of Genie: Seven Potions for Developing a Sense of Humor (1989) Rich Publishing Company, ISBN 9780960725694
- Mayberry Humor Across the USA (1995) Rich Publishing Company, ISBN 9780927577021
- Don't Let the Funny Stuff Get Away (1998) Rich Publishing Company, ISBN 9780927577038
- Don't Bungee Jump Naked And Other Important Stuff (2020) Jeanne Robertson, ISBN 9780578668611
Audio and video media
Robertson's performances have been recorded on both DVD and CD, with nine titles currently available: [25]
- Rocking Humor
- Fabulously Funny
- Looking for Humor
- Just for Fun
- Flat Out Funny
- Southern Style
- Talkin' Funny
- Not Just for Laughs
- Here She Is
Many short segments of her speeches (individual stories, outtakes, etc) are also available on Jeanne's YouTube channel, as well as recordings of her 2020-2021 livestream series "Live from the Back Porch". [26].
References
- ^ a b Robertson, Jeanne. "Don't Mess with Teenage Hussies". YouTube.com. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Overman, Ogi (April 30, 2013). "50 years later, Miss Congeniality more popular than ever before". Jamestown News. Retrieved January 10, 2017.[dead link]
- ^ a b Robertson, Jeanne. "NEW! Jeanne Robertson Left Brain vs Intruder - HILARIOUS!!!". YouTube.com. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
- ^ a b Robertson, Jeanne. "Don't Trick or Treat Without the Right Costume". YouTube.com. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
- ^ "Memory Lane - Where's My Crown?". Southeast Lifestyle. Archived from the original on August 17, 2013.
- ^ "Miss America 1964 Candidates". Miss America. September 5, 2018. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
North Carolina — Jeanne Flinn Swanner
- ^ a b Gordon, Jean (January 26, 2013). "Humorist Robertson coming to Foundation". The Daily Courier. Forest City, North Carolina. p. A1.
- ^ Morrisey, Brittany Ann (March 2020). "Miss Congeniality". Orlando Family Magazine. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
- ^ "Miss North Carolina 1963". www.missnc.org. Miss North Carolina. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
... nineteen-year-old 6′ 2 Jeanne Swanner of Graham played the ukulele in a comedy sketch to capture the title. She won Miss Congeniality at both the Miss North Carolina and Miss America pageants and remains the tallest contestant ever to compete in the Miss America pageant.
- ^ "Meet Jeanne Robertson — North Carolina Public Radio WUNC". WUNC.org. Retrieved February 15, 2010.
- ^ a b Courter, Barry (February 17, 2012). "Funny and smart - at 68, Jeanne Robertson finds second vocation as comedian". Chattanooga Times Free Press. p. 57.
- ^ "Appreciating Sisterhood". Alpha Gamma Delta Quarterly (Summer 2018): 26. July 26, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Anderson, Dan (May 1, 2008). "Elon trustee Jeanne Robertson is featured speaker at White House event". jeannerobertson.com. Elon University. Archived from the original on March 23, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
- ^ "Notable Members". Omicron Delta Kappa. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
- ^ Ellis, Rosemary (February 4, 1990). "The value of humor: making life bearable". The Press of Atlantic City. p. G1.
- ^ "Graham Historical Museum". VisitNC.com. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- ^ a b c Robertson, Jeanne. "Left Brain is in the Building". YouTube.com. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
- ^ a b Robertson, Jeanne. "Don't send a man to the grocery store!". YouTube.com. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
- ^ Overman, Ogi (February 17, 2017). "Once you've given your heart to a school (Duke), rationality goes out the window". Greensboro News and Record. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
...Jerry, was a member of the Duke men's basketball team (and was to become the captain of the '59 team). .... As a side note, Jerry went on to marry Jeanne Swanner, Miss North Carolina of 1963 and Miss Congeniality of the Miss America Pageant, now a nationally acclaimed comedienne and author, and he became superintendent of Burlington City Schools.
- ^ a b c Nambiar, Prerna (August 22, 2021). "Who was Jeanne Robertson's husband Jerry aka Left Brain?". HITC. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
- ^ a b "Jerry Robertson, Loyal Supporter Of Elon Athletics, Passes Away". Elon University Athletics. June 9, 2021. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
- ^ Crim, Linda "MissDazey" (June 5, 2012). "Evangel University Chapel". Jeanne-fun.com. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- ^ "'All the angels are laughing': NC humorist dies unexpectedly at 77". WRAL-TV. August 21, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
- ^ Moses, Omotayo (August 23, 2021). "Jeanne Robertson Biography, Career, Age, Weight, Height, Body, Cause Of Her Death, Husband, Net Worth, Education, Death". LINK UP PUPPIES. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
- ^ Robertson, Jeanne. "Humor Store". jeannerobertson.com. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
- ^ Robertson, Jeanne. "JeanneRobertson". Youtube.com. Retrieved August 22, 2021.