Jeanne Robertson

On August 12, 2021, it was announced that some of Robertson's future engagements had been canceled due to a "serious but non-COVID-related" illness. She died at her home in Burlington, North Carolina on August 21, 2021, at age 77.

Many short segments of her speeches (individual stories, outtakes, etc) are also available on Jeanne's YouTube channel, as well as recordings of her 2020–2021 livestream series "Live from the Back Porch".

Although she began her public speaking career with her pageant title, Robertson achieved much more national attention as a humorist and speaker. Her anecdotes have been broadcast regularly on satellite radio comedy channels, including XM Radio's Laugh USA, Sirius Radio's Blue Collar Comedy and its Family Comedy Channel, and Laugh Break. Her popularity soared, however, in 2009 after a handful of humorous clips from her talks became popular videos. Robertson distinguished between a humorist, which she considered herself, and a comedian, stating, "The humorist weaves the longer stories with a point. We don't go 'after' anybody. I'm telling my life."

On April 29, 2008, she spoke at the White House for National Volunteer Week to honor the 1,300 volunteers who donate time to work at the White House.

Robertson was a member of the Methodist church. She said her favorite television series was The Andy Griffith Show. Her 1995 book, Mayberry Humor Across the USA, furthers her connection to Griffith's show.

Robertson's son, Walter Bailey "Beaver" Bowline, is a 1989 graduate of Elon University, where Jeanne was a trustee. Two of Jeanne's grandchildren also attended Elon. Jeanne and Jerry Robertson were both members of Elon University's Phoenix Club, which supports the athletic program, and the university's track and field complex is named after the couple.

In 1980 she was designated a Certified Speaking Professional by the National Speakers Association, and served as the association's president in 1985. She was also a Golden Gavel award-winning Toastmaster.

Following her Miss North Carolina reign, Robertson used her scholarship to fund her college education at Auburn University, where she majored in physical education, joined Alpha Gamma Delta, and played college basketball. Robertson graduated in 1967, and in 1990 she was inducted as an alumni member of the Omicron Delta Kappa Circle at Auburn University.

Jeanne married Walter Bowline III in 1965; they had one son and divorced in the early 1970s. In 1974, she married Jerry Robertson, a graduate of Duke University where, at 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) tall and on an athletic scholarship, he played on its basketball team, serving as its captain in 1959. Jerry received his master's degree and doctorate at the University of North Carolina; he was an educator and principal, eventually serving as superintendent of Burlington City Schools, and later working in business. In her performances, Jeanne would frequently refer to him as "Left Brain", or sometimes "LB". They were married until his death in June 2021.

In 1963, at age 19, she was named Miss North Carolina and went on to be named Miss Congeniality in that year's Miss America competition. As of 2021, Jeanne Swanner, at 6 foot 2, is still the tallest contestant ever in the Miss America pageant. Robertson credited her reign as the catalyst for her career.

Jeanne Flinn Swanner Robertson (/dʒiːnjiː/; September 21, 1943 – August 21, 2021) was an American athlete, teacher, humorist, motivational speaker, YouTube personality, and Miss North Carolina 1963.