From Miss America to Marrying a Game Show Host: Michigan’s Nancy Anne Fleming

This Michigan lady has had quite the life.

She is Nancy Anne Fleming born in 1942 and is best known for becoming crowned Miss America in 1960, for the year 1961.

Born in Muskegon but grew up in Montague, Nancy Anne went to Michigan State University. Her time at MSU was not particularly pleasant. She had a room in West Landon Hall and did not feel like she was very welcome. Years later, she was quoted as saying, "I felt like a freak at MSU. I had just been on television three days before and I entered with a lot of fanfare. There was a lot of weirdness and rudeness. I was pointed out and stared at. It was really creepy."

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Even so, her later life accomplishments earned her a place on the list of Michigan State University's "Accomplished Women Graduates."

Graduating from MSU in 1964, Nancy Anne moved to California, and in 1966 earned a teaching certificate from the University of California.

She landed a job as an elementary school teacher and later followed her heart by entering the entertainment world. She became a host and interviewer on ABC-TV, PBS, and the Cable Health Network which became Lifetime.

Nancy Anne entered the MIss Michigan pageant as Miss White Lake, won the title of Miss Michigan, and competed in the Miss America pageant. And as mentioned above, she won that title in 1960 as Miss America 1961. She was the second of five ladies from Michigan to win that title since 1939.

Married in 1963, divorced in 1973, it was five more years before she married again. Her second husband was showbiz and game show veteran Jim Lange, who gained enormous popularity as the host of TV’s The Dating Game from 1965 to 1980.

Nancy made TV appearances as well. She guested on The Love Boat in 1984 with other past Miss Americas, I’ve Got a Secret in 1972, and the talk show Gypsy in 1965.

Jim passed away in 2014 and Nancy never remarried. She is still alive in 2025 and now in her 80s, looks great.