She next spent two years at Trinity University in San Antonio. Suzanna graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Dallas in 1964. Courtesy photoĪfter Reeder married his third wife, Polly McCollum, Suzanna ended up with a half-sister, two step-sisters and a step-brother. They were married from 1997 until his death in 2012. Suzanna Reeder poses for a photo with Gary Einkauf. When wealthy Sybil Harrington died in 1998, at the age of 89, a New York Times story called her a philanthropist “who besides supporting medical, education and arts charities was the largest individual donor to the Metropolitan Opera in the company’s history.” Harrington, who died in 1974 and now is remembered as a big-time Texas oil man. He and his first wife, Sybil Buckingham, divorced after only about two years. Harriet represented the second of Reeder’s three marriages. She and her family lived just outside the city limits of North Dallas. Her mother was Harriet Hays Palmer Reeder. Suzanna was born on May 23, 1946, in Dallas. And that’s not even counting her family connection to a now-deceased multi-millionaire philanthropist from New York City. Courtesy photoĭeeply involved in her community, she was named Citizen of the Year in Port Aransas at one point. Suzanna Reeder poses for a photo with her father, Ray Reeder, on New Year’s Eve, 1971. During her time here, her life experiences have crossed over with some classic figures like Elda May Roberts legendary local events like the Barroom Bicycle Race landmark Port A places including the Sea Horse Inn and Miyako Yacht Club and respected organizations like the Port Aransas Community Theatre. She has worked for about 50 years in the real estate business in Port Aransas. Starting up this community’s now- 51-year-old newspaper of record is noteworthy in and of itself.īut there is much more, of course, to Suzanna’s background than that. I feel so privileged to ride on your coattails.” You two (Judson and South Jetty Editor Dan Parker) are just fabulous. “I’m just so grateful that we began it and then Mary took over,” Suzanna said. Courtesy photoĪnother person being interviewed in this kind of situation might use the occasion to do a little boasting, belaboring the fact that she laid the groundwork for what would become a community institution.īut, to the surprise of no one who knows her well, Suzanna modestly turned attention away from herself, choosing to praise others instead. In the foreground is Peter Fernand, left, and Russell Vetters. Seated at far left is Ann Melee Skipwith. Sohl is seated in the background, at right, and Reeder is next to him. William Shakespeare’s ‘A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream’ is performed at the wedding of Suzanna Reeder and Walter Sohl, at the Port Aransas Community Center on June 21, 1977. The newspaper has been owned and operated by Mary and Murray Judson since 1981. With backing from her father and working with then-local resident Steve Frishman Suzanna founded the South Jetty in 1971. “It’s the privilege of living in a small town, where things circle around,” she said. That’s the situation that Suzanna Reeder found herself in recently. Then, decades later, an employee of that same newspaper contacts her and requests an interview so that she might be profiled at length in the very paper that she was largely responsible for establishing. About a year later, she sells her interest in the publication. This profile was based on a series of South Jetty interviews with Suzanna Reeder over the past few weeks.įirst, a woman helps found a newspaper. Megan Biggs PhotographyĮditor’s note: Port Aransas Profiles are stories about folks who are longtime residents or are otherwise noteworthy. Reeder has lived in Port Aransas for more than 50 years and once was named the town’s Citizen of the Year. Suzanna Reeder has her toes in the sand on a recent day on Mustang Island.
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