From Miss Denmark Marjorie Yost, the first Miss Scandinavia in 1968, to Jodi-Lynne Meyer, crowned last year in 2009 (also Miss Denmark), the Scandinavian Festival queens are upholding a long tradition on the North Coast.

Many of the past queens still live in the area. From their accounts, being in the festival court has provided lifelong friendships and memories.

Amanda (Caldwell) Rohne

Amanda Rohne, this year’s festival co-chair, was crowned Miss Scandinavia herself in 1999.

“Yes, I was Miss Norway,” Rohne explains. “There are four princesses chosen from Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden, usually in February, and this becomes the court. Iceland is considered part of Scandinavia too but they don’t have a lodge right now.

“We all give speeches to the various other lodges and service clubs,” she continues. “On the opening night of the festival we speak again, in our country costumes, usually about our own family heritage, how our parents or grandparents came over and where they settled.

“There are five judges who listen to the speeches and score them. An accountant tallies the score. Then the queen is crowned and she declares the festival open.”

For each princess, there is a junior member of the court, also chosen from each lodge. By tradition, the princesses are generally juniors or seniors in high school, while the “juniors” might be as young as 5 or 6.

For the senior princesses, having a junior to take care and keep track of throughout the court and coronation process creates a lasting bond.

“Margit Bowler was my junior,” says Rohne. “Her mother was a teacher of mine. Of course I still know her, she’s studying at Reed College in Portland.”

Saara (Carlson) Matthews

Saara Matthews, owner of Finn Ware in Astoria, is in charge of the festival booths this year. She too has had a long association with the festival.

“I was Miss Finland in 1988,” says Matthews about her coronation. “My mom grew up in Finland and came here in the ’60s, and my father’s grandparents were Swedish Finns, meaning they came from the Swedish-speaking part of Finland.”

“I was a senior in high school when I was chosen to be a princess – they interviewed me, I think I was their second choice! – and I just remember having such a great time being on the court, because my best friend was on the court too, Jo Ann Hauke.

“Jo Ann was Miss Norway, so we just hung out together and had such fun. At that time we didn’t have so many speeches to give.

“The whole experience of being on the court made me more aware of my heritage, of knowing my background and how it influenced my life. If you become a queen, you bring a lot of pride to your lodge – whoever wins, that lodge has bragging rights.

“Each country has its own lodge. There’s the Finnish Brotherhood, also the Ladies of Kaleva – their meetings were held in Finnish – the Sons and Daughters of Norway, Vasa and the Danish Society.

“But at that point, in 1988, Finland had won more than any of the other lodges. It used to be that Finland won over half the time!

Past Scandinavian Court members Joan Smith Gornbein (Miss Sweden 1976), left, Kim Tinner Supple (Miss Scandinavia 1976), middle, and Mary Lovvold (chaperone), right, enjoyed reminiscing at the 1986 Festival. Submitted photo.”Finns have a closer tie to their old country. My parents were born in Finland – for some of the other nationalities, it’s their grandparents, but for Finns, they kept coming to the U.S. up until the ’70s.”

Kim (Tinner) Supple

Kim Supple, Miss Finland, was crowned Festival Queen in 1976.

Her mother, Shirley Tinner, actually started the Scandinavian Festival with two other mothers who were in charge of a Brownie troop that their daughters were in. Carol Obie, recently deceased, and Nellie Norrman are the other “founding mothers” for the festival we know and love today.

Amanda RohneThe interconnectedness of the Scandinavian community is clearly illustrated by the generations of women who have served on the various courts throughout the years.

Supple was actually Saara Matthews’ senior princess. Matthews was just in kindergarten when she was called to be part of the ’76 court, and she reports, “To this day, I still call Kim my ‘big princess.'”

Leila Koskela Collier was crowned Miss Scandinavia in 1980. Submitted photo.Supple shares, “You know I grew up in a real Finnish household. My mother and my aunt spoke Finnish fluently so I was around it daily, for most of my life.

“Being crowned ScanFest Queen in 1976 just enhanced my life. It’s just part of who I am.

“I have a 21-year-old son and I’ve tried to instill in him some of those Finnish values that my mother and father instilled in me, like hard work and dedication to what you love. Always trying your best and working your hardest.

“The Finnish people are very stoic. I think my son is a true Finn.

“One of the traditions that our family has is making Finnish prune tarts – especially at Christmas time. I tried to teach my son how to make tarts, but he seems to enjoy eating them more than making them,” she says, laughing.

Leila Collier now works for the Astoria School District and still keeps in contact with her fellow junior and senior Scandinavian Court members from 1980.”I learned from my mother and grandmother, who immigrated here from Finland. I can remember them making tarts when I was young. It was one of the highlights in our household for Christmas, and our friends look forward to them too,” she shares. “Usually whenever there is a fundraiser, I whip up three dozen or so of my prune tarts.” (See her recipe at right.)

Supple also reflects back on the days of her court in ’76 and fondly remembers Matthews.

Kim Supple still has the Karelian-style Finnish costume she wore when she was crowned Miss Scandinavia during the 1976 festival.”Of course I remember Saara. We didn’t know each other until we were junior and senior Miss Finlands. It’s always a treat and a gift to run into her now because it brings back all those wonderful memories. I have loved watching her grow up and seeing her evolve into the businesswoman she is today.

“I’ve just moved back from Portland and it is so heartwarming to be reacquainting myself with old friends. I feel like I’ve come home.”

Leila (Koskela) Collier

Leila Collier works for the Astoria School District and was chosen as Miss Finland in the 1980 court. She was subsequently crowned Miss Scandinavia, continuing the domination of the Finnish Brotherhood lodge princesses in the early years of the festival.

As Collier says about the proclivity of Miss Finland to be crowned, “Yes, there was a big run of Finns there. It got to be embarrassing after a while! … But it kind of evened out over the years,” she said.

Saara Matthews, the Scandinavian Festival’s Miss Finland in 1988, wears a traditional costume that includes a knife, tobacco pouch and needle holder hanging from her belt.Reflecting on what the experience meant to her, Collier shares, “Well, it definitely taught me how to be a public speaker, which was not something I was comfortable with prior to that.

“Our court group became very close as we went through the various events and we even came up with a song that we sang each time we got together. I became lifelong friends with my little junior princess, Melissa Rose Schacher, who now lives in Seaside.

“We have maintained our friendship over all these years and I have always considered her my little sister.

“I just remember having a blast with the other girls, going up to Portland on a Navy ship for the Rose Festival, and being on television – AM Northwest – and spending the night.”

“I’m still in good contact with one of my other court members, Louise (Oja) Phillips, who was Miss Sweden in 1980.

The very first Scandinavian Festival was a one-night affair that included just as much pomp, ceremony and celebration as the current festival.”Being on the court – it was an amazing thing, quite the honor. But it wasn’t so much about being Queen, it was just being able to represent my nationality that was important,” she continues. “My parents immigrated from Finland, so I’m first-generation American. I’m so proud of my Finnish heritage.”

This year’s festival takes place Friday through Sunday, June 18, 19 and 20. All events except the parade take place at the Clatsop County Fairgrounds, three miles east of Astoria.

Don’t miss the Friday evening coronation of this year’s Miss Scandinavia, when a new queen will be brought into the ranks of this long line of regional royalty.

From her grandmother, Hilja Eskola-Fransen

Kim Supple keeps many of her mementos of the first Scandinavian Festival, including this entry ticket.Dough:

4 1/2 cups sifted flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

Cut in 1 lb. fresh cream butter.

In separate bowl, mix together: