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Susie Wagoner, 1953-2022: 'She made everyone feel special'

Lead Summary
By
Rory Ryan-hcpress@cinci.rr.com
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing. – 2 Timothy 4:7-8.

If there is anyone I know who has fought the good fight and finished the race – with style and grace – it is Susie Wagoner.

Susie has been a great friend to the Highland County community her entire life. On Sunday, June 5, while listening to Fr. Mike Paraniuk on 106.9 WLRU FM, I learned of her situation. It was not looking good, Fr. Mike told the congregation and his radio listeners.

In the ensuing hours, we all learned of her passing – all too soon from this earthly world. Fr. Mike emailed me that Susie "will now be with God in Heaven."

There can be no doubt.

Susie has kept the Wagoner and Harsha families in line most of her life. Her husband, Doug, once told me how lucky he was to have married Susie. Indeed, he was.

She was the matriarch of the family. She loved her children and grandchildren, and she loved her community.

As I told her son, Hillsboro attorney JD Wagoner, this week, Highland County lost a dear friend. In the more than three decades that I have known Susie, I have never heard her say a negative word about anyone.

Susie was one of the best investigative reporters I've known. There was an issue about 12 years or so ago in which Susie provided some background information to The Highland County Press. Doug and I called her Darby Shaw, from the movie, "The Pelican Brief."

Her information was steel on target. Afterward, I told Doug and JD that I hope Susie never investigates my background. They agreed.

When my own JD (my grandson) was born two years ago, I shared photos with Susie. In fact, I shared so many photos that I felt like Mel Kruse, a mutual friend who was similarly proud of his children and grandchildren.

Susie always replied the same way: "Keep those photos coming. JD looks like you."

When Susie would walk into The Highland County Press office, she would always speak to everyone. Then, she would give me "the business" and tease me about one thing or another.

She and Doug loved their dogs. They loved sharing their dogs with residents of local assisted living facilities. We often exchanged photos of our dogs. Pam and I had a few Labs and a golden retriever, and if memory serves, they did as well.

When her son, JD, played for Jim Horne's 10-0 Hillsboro Indians football team in the early 1990s, Susie was the happiest parent at Richards Memorial Field. She was the ultimate supporter of Hillsboro student-athletes.

One of my favorite columnists was the late Florence King, like Susie, another Virginian. She was noted for her columns in National Review. Florence once wrote that she wanted to leave this world in a "sudden and massive" style. I suspect that she wrote that for only one reason: to ease the pain that her family most assuredly felt upon her passing a few years ago.

Susie Wagoner left this world in similar fashion. I am by no means qualified to expound on that assumption. But I will say this: Having known Susie for almost 40 years, I have never seen her in a bad mood, nor have I ever known her to be anything other than optimistic about her family and community. She loved her family. She was proud of Ali and JD and the grandkids.

"Susie was always in a good mood with that pretty smile on her face," said her good friend and former co-worker, Gayle Gilliland. "She made everyone feel special. I’m going to miss her like crazy, and so are a lot of others. She is just one of those people that made you feel good and try to be a better person. She loved everyone. She will remain 'forever young' to me."

In addition to her family and friends in Highland County, Susie loved her time in Key West, too. When the sun sets in Key West, the tourists – and some locals – take many photos. Please think of Susie when you take your next sunset photo.

If you knew Susie, you'd understand that she would appreciate it with her knowing smile. Heaven has another angel.

Godspeed, my friend.

Rory Ryan is publisher and owner of The Highland County Press.

• The Turner & Son Funeral Home in Hillsboro is serving the family. For more information, visit https://www.turnerfuneralhomes.cc/.

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