LOIS JEANNE BOUSE, 90

Cypress Gardens’ Queen

Lois ‘Jeanne’ Bouse of Huntington died yesterday, she was 90 years of age. Lois Jeanne Shope was born in Youngstown Ohio in 1933 with her family moving to Miami in 1951. As one of the original Cypress Gardens girls promoting the sport of waterskiing in the early 50’s on the great lakes in Winter Haven, Florida, Jeanne skied on the top in the now famous pyramid of six skiers portrayed on postcards of the day. Jeanne earned her degree from the University of Miami and, following, Jeanne was an active fashion model appearing often in magazines and being awarded as high as runner-up in the Ms. Florida State Beauty Pageant of 1956.  Jeanne appeared on television game shows including The Big Payoff assisting the hosts and was the center of many television commercials of the day including the White Rain shampoo commercials.  In 1958,  while in New York for a photo-shoot, Jeanne met the now famed criminal defense attorney F. Courts Bouse on Long Island. While their marriage six months later ended her active career,  the couple raised their family of three children in Woodbury until his death in 1988.  Jeanne is survived by her three children;  Frank, Cornell and Tracey together with nine grandchildren; Frank, Joseph, Dana, Clint, Bridgette, Nicole, Francesca, Vincent and Sophie.  Services will be held at M. A. Connell Funeral Home in Huntington Wednesday, January 24th from 2pm-4pm and 7pm-9pm with funeral services at Saint Patricks’ Church of Huntington Thursday, January 25th at 9:45am and burial at Saint Patrick’s Cemetery thereafter.