Ada Perkins

In 1980, Puerto Rico was moved by the media news coverage of her death which resulted from the injuries sustained in an automobile accident in San Juan.

In 1980, she and her boyfriend, Luis A. Ballester were involved in an automobile accident which occurred while they were traveling to her home in Punta las Marias, San Juan. She died in San Juan, Puerto Rico, as a result of the injuries sustained in the accident.

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.

Perkins was a model who participated in television commercials for various companies, among them: "Chicklets Adams", "Texaco", "Salem cigarette" and for the "INDULAC" (Dairy Producers Industry 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.

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.

Perkins, the oldest of three siblings, 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 where she was studying journalism.

Ada Cecille Perkins Flores (7 September 1959 – 24 May 1980) was a Puerto Rican beauty queen who represented Puerto Rico in the Miss Universe 1978 pageant.