Susan Veatch Cantrell, a life-long native of Crawfordsville, Indiana, and avid Wabash College partisan, died peacefully at home as she slept in the early morning hours of Monday, January 14, 2008. Her death came following many months of serious health challenges which, until then, she had always managed somehow to best, with death-defying determination. In addition to her family, she leaves behind an extensive circle of devoted friends and former colleagues, admiring readers of her literary talents and appreciative listeners to her musical gifts – a group that literally stretches across the entire country.

Susan was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, and brought as a newly-adopted infant by her parents, Martin and Pauline Veatch, to Crawfordsville, where she grew up, attended public schools, graduating in 1963 from Crawfordsville High School where she had been active in a variety of musical productions. She was member of and regular participant in the Crawfordsville United Methodist Church. Her parents discovered while Susan was still a small child that she was blessed with a crystal clear, beautiful soprano voice, and, as a result, she became a regular on the church and civic club and school performance circuit.

Susan attended and graduated from Indiana University in 1967 with a bachelor of arts degree in political science, having decided half way through her undergraduate career to switch from studying voice at the prestigious IU School of Music to politics, which she regarded as a more promising career move. Following graduation, she settled inWashington, D.C., where she worked on the staff of Senator Charles H. Percy of Illinois (the only Republican she ever really loved), moving from clerical duties to constituent caseworker, and finally to speech writer. It was as a speech writer that Susan discovered the talent and the interest that would carry her successfully throughout the rest of her life.

In the mid-seventies, she left Capitol Hill to become Editorial Director at WBBM Radio, the Chicago CBS affiliate, where over the ensuing five years she mixed writing and broadcasting skills into a successful career. In 1980, she moved on to New York City to assume a similar position in the larger media market served by WCBS radio. She developed a wide and enthusiastic following among her listeners and became a highly sought after interviewer among many of New York's most important public officials on her weekly current affairs program.

In 1984, Susan left New York to return to Crawfordsville to marry her old high school friend, James F. Cantrell, When Wabash College discovered that someone of her abilities had landed in their backyard, they seized the opportunity to bring her on board. Thus began Susan's life long love affair with Wabash College, a devotion that lasted until she breathed her last breath.

She began as a part-time writer for Wabash in 1985, and became full-time by May 1987. She was Director of Public Relations in 1988, which post she held until 1995. During that time she developed communications for the Capital Campaign for Independence and Excellence, which raised a then-record $40 million for Wabash. She originated the College's first ever parents' newsletter, "A Letter Home," of which she was reportedly especially proud.

Beginning in 1997, she was the Director of Campaign Communications for Wabash's Campaign for Leadership, which raised an unprecedented total of $136 million for the College, an amount believed at the time to be the most ever raised for a college with under 1,000 students. When the Campaign ended successfully, Susan returned to full-time writing in the Public Affairs and Marketing Office. She wrote every official citation for Wabash for nearly two decades — honorary degree citations, honorary alumni citations, and alumni awards of merit. She was a speech writer for three Wabash presidents. When she ended her career at Wabash in May 2007, she was Senior Writer in the Public Affairs and Marketing Office, a position she held for three years.

Susan's writing was simple, direct, clear and elegant, with a sharply honed ability to craft perfectly turned phrases. She wrote for Senators, broadcast executives, and college presidents, and many, many readers and listeners in between. To read the recent tribute to Susan upon her retirement, you may click on http://www2.wabash.edu/blog/pa/2007/02/a_prayer_for_susan.html

Susan Cantrell was an active member of the Montgomery County Historical Society, a board member of the Montgomery County Visitors and Convention Bureau, and the Sugar Creek Players theater group. She was a master gardener, and also served as president of the Lew Wallace Study Preservation Society as well as a regular presenter of scholarly papers to civic and historical associations, including the Athenians and the League of Women Voters. In 1984, she was elected President of the National Broadcast Editorial Association and previously served as a board member of the PACE Institute, a school in the Chicago/Cook County Jail. Her professional writing awards include those from San Francisco State University, the National Broadcast Editorial Association, United Press International, the Associated Press, Sigma Delta Chi, and the new York State Broadcasters Association.

Susan V. Cantrell is survived by James F. Cantrell, her stepchildren and grandchildren: Stephanie (Todd) Lemke, Kyle Dean and Max Jefferson; Stephen (Jennifer) Cantrell and Ella Michele; and James David (JD) (Angie) and Grace Marie.

Visitation will occur on Friday, January 18, 2008, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 pm at Hunt & Son Funeral Home, Crawfordsville. Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday morning, January 19, at 11:00 am at St. Bernard's Catholic Church, 1306 E. Main Street, Crawfordsville. Memorial gifts can be made to the Susan Veatch Cantrell Scholarship Fund at Wabash College, % Advancement Office, P. O. Box 352, Crawfordsville, IN 47932; and notes/cards expressing condolences may be sent to Jim Cantrell, % The Kane House, Wabash College, P.O. Box 352, Crawfordsville, IN 47932.