User:Nuwoman/Pinkie Lea Humphries Osborne

Pinkie Lea Humphries was born on November 5, 1951 at Baptist Hospital in Alexandria, Louisiana. She was the second daughter born to Kenneth and Mary Evelyn Baker Humphries. She lived in Alexandria, Louisiana until age 17 and graduated from Pineville Elementary School, Pineville Jr. High and Pineville High School.

During that time, Pinkie was active in choir and band and won many awards for her talent. She was also greatly involved in theatre and journalism. Her writing talents were rewarded in 1967 when she was named "Louisiana's Poet Laureate" and she was given the "Outstanding Journalist" Award by the Alexandria Daily Town Talk.

After being awarded college scholarships in band and dance team, Pinkie attended what was then called "Northeast Lousiana State College" in Monroe, Louisiana (known as NLSC). This college was re-named Northeast Louisiana University in 1971 and Pinkie Lea Humphries was crowned the first "Miss Northeast Louisiana University" that same year. She went on to be named runner-up to "Miss Louisiana" in 1971. Her talent was singing and playing her Alto Saxaphone. Prior to that, Miss Humphries was crowned "Miss Ouachita Parish" in 1970.

During her reign as "Miss Ouachita Parish", Pinkie served as a guest performer on Cerebral Palsey Telethons and performed with such celebrities as Frankie Avalon and Sheri Lewis. During one of those guest performances, she met another guest named Tom Dempsey, who was the kicker for the New Orleans Saints. After that time, the two began dating. During the 1970 football season, Tom Dempsey kicked his record-holding 63-yard field goal as a birthday present for Miss Humphries. Her birthday was November 5th and his historic kick was on November 8th at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Pinkie also held the title of "Miss Delta Village" in 1971 and she helped with marketing and promotions of Delta Village, which was a popular theme park located near Tallulah, Louisiana. She also performed daily at this theme park during the summer months in 1971 and 1972.

Tallulah, Louisiana, is where Pinkie Lea Humphries met her first husband, Ilar "Skeet" Osborne. He was the local Ford and Lincoln-Mercury dealer at the time (Osborne Ford). They went on to have two children, Dr. Lee Evelyn Osborne, and Lance Ilar Osborne.

In Tallulah, Pinkie used her journalistic skills when she worked at the local newspaper, the "Madison Journal" and she also submitted news articles to the "Monroe News-Star" and the "Vicksburg Evening Post". Later, she began work as the News and Sports Director of KBYO-FM in Tallulah. Ms. Osborne had a weekday morning show and an afternoon sports show on that radio station. She also served a stint as a morning show host at a Jackson, Mississippi radio station.

During her time in Tallulah, she served as Chairman of the Madison Parish Tourist Commission; President of the Good Earth Garden Club; and was named as one of the "Outstanding Young Women of America". She also worked as an aerobic and swimming instructor, both privately and at the YMCA in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Her specialty was 'drown-proofing' babies as a part of the "Water Babies' program for children 13 weeks old to 3 years. She also taught swimming to children ages 3 to 6 years.