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STANFORD — Emily Louise Campanell, 39, of Taylorsville was deemed by the judges as the top candidate to wear the title of 2019 Mrs. Lincoln County Fair Monday night in the Teddy Gilbert Pageant Pavilion.

The Mrs. Lincoln County Fair contestants, who had to be 22 years of age and up and presently married, were judged in evening wear and Campanell was picked from the field of five. She will preside over the remainder of the 2019 Lincoln County Fair, which runs through Saturday.

Campanell, who has been married for 16 years, graduated from Western Kentucky University with two masters degrees and has been a middle school teacher for 12 years. Her career ambition is to eventually become a college professor. As a way of helping her community, Campanell serves as a volunteer board chair for Dream Factory of Louisville and is director of Spencer County Fair pageants.

When asked who she admired the most, Campanell answered with a family member.

“I admire my late grandmother,” she said. “She had six children, four of which were boys, and raised them.”
All Mrs. Lincoln County Fair contestants were asked what was the biggest problem facing today’s young women to which Campanell responded “body image.”

“Being a middle school teacher, I watch students struggle with this constantly,” she said.

Deedra VonGruenigen, 33, of Waynesburg was named the first runner-up. VonGruenigen, who is married to Cody VonGruenigen, was also named Most Photogenic in the pageant. She received a master’s of education in Human Development with a specialization in Mental Health Counseling from Lindsey Wilson College and is a social service clinician here in Lincoln County.

When asked who she admired the most, VonGruenigen answered, “My daughter, Emery, because she is the strongest person I know.”

The other Mrs. Lincoln County contestants were: Kandyse Black, 27, Danville; Presley Elaine Rich, 25, Garrard County; and Angela Baranchak, 47, Lexington.