Erma Bombeck Writing Competition Winning Entries

Photo of Erma Bombeck
"Hook 'em with the lead. Hold 'em with laughter. Exit with a quip they won't forget." ˜ Erma Bombeck
The Erma Bombeck Writing Competition opens on December 4, 2023, at 8 A.M. (EST)!

Winning Entries By Year


Congratulations winners, honorable mentions and entrants of the Erma Bombeck Writing Competition. Enjoy reading the entries below and be inspired!


Winning Entries - 2022
Humor Category - Local Area
First Place:  Rachel Grise -  Piqua, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Elizabeth Trende -  Delaware, OH, United States
Humor Category - Global
First Place:  Dorothy Rosby -  Rapid City, SD, United States
Honorable Mention:  Suzy Girard-Ruttenberg -  Boca Raton, FL, United States
Honorable Mention:  January Ornellas -  Moorpark, CA, United States
Human Interest Category - Local Area
First Place:  Lindsey Roth -  Dayton, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Patricia Washington -  Euclid, OH, United States
Human Interest Category - Global
First Place:  Rita Lussier -  Jamestown, RI, United States
Honorable Mention:  Elizabeth Baldwin -  Hookwood, United Kingdom
Honorable Mention:  Kathryn Leehane -  San Jose, CA, United States
Winning Entries - 2020
Humor Category - Local Area
First Place:  Joan Harris -  Huron, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Barbara David -  Cincinnati, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Tami Himmelfarb Wolf -  Beachwood, OH, United States
Humor Category - Global
First Place:  DeAnne Spicer Todd -  Altadena, CA, United States
Honorable Mention:  Elaine Ambrose -  Meridian, ID, United States
Honorable Mention:  Meredith Besser -  Los Angeles, CA, United States
Honorable Mention:  Tara Powers -  Stuart, FL, United States
Human Interest Category - Local Area
First Place:  Gwen Rosenberg -  Kent, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Rebecca Koop -  Dayton, OH, United States
Human Interest Category - Global
First Place:  Kathy Shiels Tully -  Melrose, MA, United States
Honorable Mention:  Susan Konig -  Bronx, NY, United States
Honorable Mention:  Robb Lightfoot -  Chico, CA, United States
Winning Entries - 2018
Humor Category - Local Area
First Place:  Jeff Kennedy -  Columbus, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Donna Boen -  Oxford, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Stephanie Fellenstein -  Aurora, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Katlyn Stechschulte -  Dayton, OH, United States
Humor Category - Global
First Place:  Susan Keller -  Dingmans Ferry, PA, United States
Honorable Mention:  Kathleen Bouvier -  Saint Lambert QC, Canada
Honorable Mention:  LouAnn Edwards -  Beaverton, OR, United States
Honorable Mention:  Missy Nicholson -  Greer, SC, United States
Honorable Mention:  Pamela Wright -  Clarkdale, GA, United States
Human Interest Category - Local Area
First Place:  Sarah Hunt -  Cincinnati, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Rosalie Bernard -  Miamisburg, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Vicki Edwards -  Dayton, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Dale Ehrlich -  Oxford, OH, United States
Human Interest Category - Global
First Place:  Julie Watson -  Wildwood, MO, United States
Honorable Mention:  Aussa Lorens -  Denver, CO, United States
Honorable Mention:  Holly Rutchik -  Appleton, WI, United States
Honorable Mention:  Dana Starr -  Ransom Canyon, TX, United States
Honorable Mention:  Jillian Van Hefty -  Waconia, MN, United States
Winning Entries - 2016
Humor Category - Local Area
First Place:  Kevin Tucker -  Vandalia, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Darlene Sunshine -  Dayton, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Timothy Walker -  Dayton, OH, United States
Humor Category - Global
First Place:  Mary Kay Fleming -  Crescent Springs, KY, United States
Honorable Mention:  Karen Hamilton -  Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Honorable Mention:  Sharon Kramer -  Wheaton, IL, United States
Honorable Mention:  Laurie O'Connor Stephans -  Plano, IL, United States
Honorable Mention:  Nancy Roman -  Litchfield, CT, United States
Honorable Mention:  Marcia Smart -  Thousand Oaks, CA, United States
Human Interest Category - Local Area
First Place:  Becky Koop -  Dayton, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Wendy Gilmore -  Centerville, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Allison Mundy -  Dayton, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Lindsey Roth -  Dayton, OH, United States
Human Interest Category - Global
First Place:  Vikki Reich -  Minneapolis, MN, United States
Honorable Mention:  Maia Aziz -  Lasalle, Canada
Honorable Mention:  Marti Benson Smith -  Colorado Springs, CO, United States
Honorable Mention:  Andrea Darvill -  Christina Lake, Canada
Honorable Mention:  Janie Emaus -  Winnetka, CA, United States
Honorable Mention:  Mona Shand -  Brighton, MI, United States
Winning Entries - 2014
Humor Category - Local Area
First Place:  Monica Schultz -  Dayton, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Barbara Cleary -  Dayton, OH, United States
Humor Category - Global
First Place:  Tracy Beckerman -  New Providence, NJ, United States
Honorable Mention:  Kristina Cerise -  Seattle, WA, United States
Honorable Mention:  Leigh Ann Northcutt -  Benton, KY, United States
Human Interest Category - Local Area
First Place:  Rosalie Bernard -  Miamisburg, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Sheila Hassell Hughes -  Miami Twp, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  David Novick -  Dayton, OH, United States
Human Interest Category - Global
First Place:  Kim Parsells -  Lewiston, ID, United States
Honorable Mention:  Maia Aziz -  Lasalle, Quebec, Canada
Honorable Mention:  Frances Peacock -  Indianapolis, IN, United States