Ada Perkins
6.3
7 votes
Astrological Zodiac sign: Virgo
Date of death: May 24, 1980
Aged: 20
Ada Perkins was a Puerto Rican beauty queen who represented her island in the Miss Universe beauty pageant in 1978. In 1980, Puerto Rico was moved by the media news coverage of her tragic death which resulted from the injuries sustained in an automobile accident in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Ada Perkins, born Ada Cecille Perkins Flores, is the oldest of three siblings. Ada was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico to Oswald Evan Perkins from San Juan and Ada Flores Sanchez. She received her primary and secondary education at St. John's School in the Condado area and later at the Academia Del Perpetuo Socorro (Academy of the Perpetual Help) in Miramar. She graduated from high school in 1977 and enrolled at the Universidad del Sagrado Corazon (Sacred Heart University) where she was studying journalism.
Ada Perkins was a model who participated in television commercials for various companies, among them: "Chicklets Adams", "Texaco", Salem cigarette" and for the "Milk Industries of Puerto Rico". In 1978, she represented Puerto Rico in the Miss Teen International beauty pageant held in Oranjestad, Aruba. Perkins came in 3rd place.
In May of that same year, Perkins represented the city of San Juan in the Miss Puerto Rico contest and won the title. Miss Puerto Rico is the official national preliminary to the Miss Universe international pageant. Each year the event is held to select the representative from the island to the contest. In the inbox above, Perkins is pictured with the Miss Puerto Rico sash and crown which she was entitled to wear during her reign.
She then traveled to Acapulco, Mexico where she represented Puerto Rico in the first Miss Universe pageant hosted by that country. Margaret Gardiner from South Africa won the title of Miss Universe that was held on July 21, 1978.
In 1979, Perkins crowned her successor to the title, Audrey Teresa López (Miss Mayaguez) in an event which included the presence of actor Erik Estrada. In 1980, she and her boyfriend, Luis A. Ballester were involved in an automobile accident which occurred while they were heading towards her home in Punta las Marias, San Juan. She died as a result of the injuries sustained.
See also: Model, Beauty Pageant Contestant, Puerto Rican, Universidad del Sagrado Corazon
