Susman: A Leader who never asked permission

Dec. 24--Friends and family of Sally Matz Susman on Christmas Eve celebrated a woman whose vision, determination and drive protected the underdog and led West Virginia forward.

Susman, 90, died around 8 p.m. Monday at Charleston Area Medical Center, her son Thomas Susman confirmed on Monday.

Her granddaughter, Jennifer Susman, found a mentor in her firebrand grandmother.

"She could do anything she put her mind to," Jennifer said.

"She never asked for permission.

"She was ahead of her time and had a fighting spirit like no other.

"She was a public servant, an entrepreneur, a journalist, and, to me, she was a hero."

She was a former Democratic state legislator, media notable and financier. Susman was a champion of students and teachers and served on the Raleigh County Board of Education school board twice.

For the past several years of her life, she had been living at Beaver.

Those who knew her reacted to news of her death with sadness and warm memories.

She was born to Nathan and Rose Matz in Bluefield on June 14, 1929.

She reported in 2004 that she had met her future husband, the late state lawmaker Alan Susman, at a Jewish youth group event they were both attending as young people.

Sally had ducked under a table so she could politely sneak to the exit. Crawling under the table, she came face-to-face with Alan, who had apparently had the same idea. She told The Register-Herald that, at first, she had motioned for Alan to move out of her path.

They eventually married and had three children: Dr. Benjamin Susman, Robin Susman Wartella and Thomas Susman.

The couple shared a love of family. Both avid horse people, they were also partners in life, business, politics and civic service until Alan's death in October 2009.

Each served, at different times, in the West Virginia Legislature.

While Alan was lauded for his role in creating Tamarack and helping to save the state millions of dollars with the refinancing of the Turnpike bonds in 1989, Sally was also highly respected by her peers when she served in the West Virginia House of Delegates from 1998 to 2004 and, again, from 2008 to 2010.

"Sally was a terrific and dedicated, longtime public servant!" said Warren R. "Randolph" McGraw II on Tuesday. "Sally believed in putting 'community' above self.

"It was interesting for me, because when I was first elected to the Legislature, I was the youngest of 134 members.

"Sally was much older than me, but I felt like she and I became true friends.

"She taught me a lot," said McGraw. "I and our community will miss her greatly."

Retired journalist Mannix Porterfield covered state politics for The Register-Herald when Susman served in Charleston. Porterfield recalled on Tuesday that Susman had a reputation for not being afraid of controversy.

Sally tackled medical malpractice insurance, worker's compensation and political redistricting, Porterfield recalled. She also took the position of being anti-abortion as a Democratic leader.

"She stood by what she believed in -- always," said Porterfield. "Sally was one of the harder working and more conscientious legislators I covered. Ever the gracious lady, she never shied from commenting on an issue -- however controversial it might have been."

Porterfield recalled both Sally and Alan as being considerate.

"When my mother died, she and her husband, Alan, attended the funeral," he said. "I was deeply struck by that."

Before entering politics, Sally had been a local entrepreneur and journalist for two different publications in underserved regions of southern West Virginia.

She was editor and publisher of The Mullens Advocate newspaper in Wyoming County and, later, of The Gulf Times of Sophia in Raleigh County.

Former Democratic state delegate Virginia Mahan served in the House with Sally during the early 2000s.

Mahan recalled Sally as a knowledgeable leader who possessed keen social acumen and strong organizational skills.

"Sally was a dedicated public servant," Mahan said Tuesday. "We sat beside each other on the House floor for several years, so during the down time of long days waiting for business to resume, we often talked about our mutual interest in journalism and the news of the day.

"I will always remember her for her invaluable and vast knowledge of southern West Virginia, in particular," said Mahan. "As others will agree, she knew a lot of people and knew how to put them together to help get things done."

Sally was also a strong advocate for students and educators. She was elected twice to the Raleigh Board of Education.

During her second elected BOE term, set from 2012 to 2016, Sally voted against a proposed policy that was supported by many business owners. The policy would have made drug testing mandatory for high school student athletes, student drivers and others.

Sally told The Register-Herald that the school district did not have the money to pay for the mandatory tests. She said that a more feasible solution would be for local businesses to provide complimentary, private drug testing for students whose parents requested it.

Sally, along with fellow board members Cindy Jafary and Larry Ford, was awarded the Margaret Baldwin Friend of Education award by the West Virginia Education Association in April 2014.

WVEA officials cited Sally's example of ethical leadership as one reason for the award.

In June 2014, citing failing health, Sally, then 85, resigned from the board.

Raleigh BOE member Marie Hamrick, former co-president of the Raleigh County Education Association, remembered Sally as a progressive West Virginian, a humanitarian and a strong leader.

"Sally was, really, a woman ahead of her time," Hamrick said Tuesday. "She was strong, feisty and a leader in many aspects of her life and the community.

"I admired Sally for her love of the community and its people, as well as her love for our state," she added. "She was never afraid to hold to her beliefs, even at times when they were controversial.

"Sally was a special lady who will be missed by many. I loved the woman she was!"

In the latter years of her life, Sally had lived at a retirement village in Beaver.

Her son Tom Susman remembered his mother as a woman who loved family and friends and as a voice for the powerless.

"Mom always fought for those who could not fight for themselves," Tom Susman said. "She was a force of nature."

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