LaVerne Adele Capodice was employed at the Fox Theater at an usher before winning the title of Miss Sunkist -sponsored by Sunkist Corporation- in 1949. Born in Los Angeles, California in September 1930, LaVerne and her sister were raised by their stepparents at 359 E. Jefferson Ave. She did a bit of acting, starring in Young April and Seven Sisters at Our Theater while attending Pomona High School. It was there that a modeling agency discovered her and had her compete in various pageants. Miss Sunkist was a pageant held by the Sunkist Beauty Parlor, and was a title later won by Jayne Mansfield.
She left Hollywood and married David Welch. They moved to Palo Alto, and she became an interior designer. They traveled the world together, and they enjoyed golfing until his death in 2016. As of 2022, La Verne is -in her own words- happily retired.
She said "The modeling agents wanted sex. I was a virgin and I wasn't prepared to lose my virginity for a few dollars. As a result, I struggled to get work. I remember at my last photoshoot, the photographer gives me a stern look and told me to go back to Pomona."
"I'm surprised that anyone knows that I was crowned Miss Sunkist. I guess you can find anything online these days." - La Verne Capodice
50s
