Gareis placed in the top six of the nationally televised pageant, which was won by Lu Parker of South Carolina.
Overall, Ford finished first runner-up to Miss South Carolina USA Shawn Weatherly, which gave her the right to assume the Miss USA title should Weatherly be unable to complete her reign.
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Miriam Jacqueline Stevenson (born July 4 July 1933, in Winnsboro, South Carolina), won the Miss USA pageant as Miss South Carolina USA in 1954.