This week, in Visalia, the Miss California organization will hold its 101st competition. Since 1924, the organization has sought to “advance the creation, promotion, and support of educational, achievement and community service opportunities for young women” in California.
This week’s Grave of the Week is Claudia Lee Long (née Slack) who was Miss Tulare County in 1957, and runner up for Miss California that same year. She won the grand talent award at the pageant, singing a song she wrote. She also ran for the Maid of California contest and was the queen of the Porterville Moonlight Flight and wrote the theme song for that event.
Claudia was an accomplished songstress. She headed the “Claudia Lee Trio;” composing all the vocal arrangements. She also wrote songs and appeared on the Al Radka TV show in Fresno for many years. She recorded with Wally Lewis and at 15 years old, she appeared on the Horace Heidt show.
Her song, “Do You Promise Me,” written by Claudia when she was 16, was performed at her wedding to Don Long, in 1958. She continued her singing after her marriage. She and Don raised three sons in Exeter.
Claudia was born in Burbank in 1938 and moved to Exeter as a child. She attended Exeter High School and COS. She passed away in 2024.
Please share any happy memories of Claudia and her family here.
Message if you know anyone who should be featured on Grave of the Week. Please include any information about the person’s life and where the grave is located.
Please continue to like, share, and follow the Exeter Public Cemetery District and thank you to Exeter Chamber of Commerce, Exeter Kiwanis, Kiwanis Club Of Farmersville, Kiwanis of Woodlake, The Sun-Gazette Newspaper, Miss California Organization, Miss Tulare County Scholarship Program for sharing.