If you grew up during the 1960s, then you may recognize Dorothy Anstett as the titleholder who was named Miss USA in 1968. Now 75 years old, she has mainly stayed out of the spotlight.
Keep reading to learn more about her beauty pageant career, including how her career got started, as well as who her famous ex is.
Background Info
Dorothy Anstett, who was born in Washington on June 28, 1947 to an aircraft plant worker, was one of nine children.
She had four brothers and four sisters (ages 3-23 in 1968) with only one, at the time, living outside of the family’s six-bedroom lakeside home in Kirkland, WA.
According to Ansett, she would have not become Miss USA had it not been for being born into such a large family.
In an interview she gave in the 1960s, she credits her pageantry win with originally trying to earn money to pay for college.
According to Anstett, all of her siblings had jobs, so she entered into a local beauty pageant as a way to earn money to pay for her enrollment at the University of Washington.
One thing eventually led to another and Anstett found herself an emerging star in the pageantry industry.
At the time of her big win, she was pursuing a degree in English, with the intent of becoming a full-time teacher.
Miss USA 1968
A year before her big win, she competed in the Miss Washington pageant in 1967. After coming in second place, she went on to win Miss Washington US the following year.
Dorothy won the title of Miss USA in 1968, edging out Paulette Reck of Baltimore, who held the title of Miss Maryland.
Dorothy was known as being the most voluptuous girl in the pageant, coming in at 5’9” and having measurements of 30-25-26.
When referencing her physique, Dorothy admitted that she thought of herself as a string bean back in 8th grade.
At the time of her win, Dorothy was still in college and at the time, tutoring underprivileged students.
She represented the United States at the Miss Universe pageant in 1968 where she eventually placed as fourth-runner up.
Bill Russell and Dorothy Anstett
Bill Russell, born February 12, 1934, was an American basketball player, mostly known for playing center for the Boston Celtics between 1956 and 1969.
During his basketball career, Russell won 11 NBA championships while also being named a five-time NBA Most Valuable Player and a 12-time NBA All-Star. He also captained the team that won the gold model at the Summer Olympics in 1956. He is regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
Between the years of 1956 and 1973, Bill Russell was married to his college sweetheart, Rose Swisher. Together, they had three children: two sons and a daughter.
After becoming “emotionally distant” from one another, he and Rose divorced in 1973.
He married Miss USA pageant winner Dorothy Anstett in 1977. They were married for three years, ending their relationship in 1980.
Sixteen years later, he married his third wife, Marilyn Nault in 1996. They were married until her passing in 2009.
Sadly, Bill passed away on July 31, 2022 at the age of 88.
