04/12/2026
Our first-ever Miss Rodeo America has headed to Heaven. Marilyn Scott Freimark was born on October 15, 1936 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and made history as the inaugural Miss Rodeo America in 1955 after sweeping the pageant.
The face of our sport four years before we even had our first NFR passed peacefully at 89 on April 4. But not before living a memorable, full life and raising a beautiful family.
At that original Miss Rodeo America Pageant in 1955, which was held in Casper, Marilyn won all three categories of the competition, which included horsemanship, personality and appearance. She wore that first MRA crown proudly, toured the country as our leading lady and rodeo ambassador, and made lifelong connections and friendships with generations of our rodeo family.
Marilyn graduated from Cheyenne High School, and studied business and mass communications at Colorado State University. Beyond our rodeo arena, she was a talented athlete who excelled at tennis, swimming, polo, marksmanship and ice skating. The natural beauty also competed in the 1954 Miss Universe Pageant.
Marilyn married Paul Painter, and they raised four children to love ranching and rodeo like we do near Buffalo, South Dakota. Marilyn later married Dr. Lyle Freimark, in 1985, and made her home in Spearfish.
In honor of her lifelong contributions to our sport, Marilyn was inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas. Beloved in her golden years as Grandma M by her own family and young people in many others, Marilyn was a great cheerleader in all sports and aspects of life. I just today learned that professional breakaway roper Joey Williams, who’s a four-time National Finals Breakaway Roping qualifier, is one of Marilyn’s grandchildren. And Riley Routier, the husband of six-time NFR barrel racer Jessica Routier, is Marilyn’s grandson.
The life of Marilyn Scott Freimark will be celebrated at 1 p.m. on April 14 at Leverington Funeral Home of the Northern Hills in Belle Fourche, South Dakota.
Ride high, cowgirl. Love to all who were lucky enough to know you.
Reliance Ranches