VENTURA : Senior Beauties Strut Their Stuff

Dressed in a flared black miniskirt and a fur-trimmed Russian hat, the Ventura woman sang “Hey Daddy” for the panel of judges.

Twice.

The song was too short to fill the time allotted in the preliminary Ms. Senior America of California pageant, 65-year-old June Ready’s first beauty contest.

“I sang. Scared to death,” said Ready, who was chosen as one of five finalists in the regional beauty pageant, sponsored by FHP Health Care.

The winner was 90-year-old Gladys Gjerset of North Hollywood, who sang “Red Hot Mama” during the talent portion of the contest.

“She just did it so beautifully,” Ready said. “She had this mischievous look in her eye.”

Ready was not expecting to be picked as a finalist. “I went, ‘Wow, check the eyeglasses on these judges!’ ” she said.

Ready, a mother of 10, will join Gjerset and 13 other contestants in the state finals next month. The winner of that pageant will go on to Atlantic City, N.J., to represent California in the Ms. Senior America contest in April.

Next month, Ready plans to be better prepared. She plans to stick with “Hey Daddy,” but is looking for another short ditty to sing afterward.

Asked if the contestants are asked to model bathing suits, Ready said, “No. This is 60 and over, remember.”

But each contestant did have to model a ballgown to a tape-recording about her philosophy of life.

“In raising 10 children, I had to make a decision as to whether my cup in life was to be half-full or half-empty,” Ready said of her philosophy. “I decided I’d rather laugh than cry. . . . I also believe that everyone has the right to live out their dreams in freedom, and in so doing, can become the very best they wish to.”

Ready doesn’t think she will make it to Atlantic City, but she is happy she decided to enter. She said it helped her build confidence and make new friends.

While the women were waiting to go on stage, she said, “Everybody’s nervous and you kind of cling on each other for support.”

And then there was the excitement of it all.

“Us after 60 haven’t had the blood course so quickly through our veins in a long time,” she said.