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OBITUARY

Susan Esther Bassett "Sue" Hetherington

JANUARY 28, 1931 – JULY 3, 2022

INDIANAPOLIS – Indianapolis native Susan B. Hetherington led boldly, gave generously, served tirelessly and delighted in a bond with other Hoosier women of her generation who raised families and then raised expectations of what women could do to make the world a better place.

In addition to being a wife, mother, and grandmother, Mrs. Hetherington was a high school teacher, a magazine editor, a non-profit executive, a philanthropist, and an advisor to three Indiana Governors, service which in 1985 merited her recognition as a Sagamore of the Wabash.

She passed away comfortably at home the night of July 3 of natural causes. A visitation at 10 a.m. and funeral service at 11 a.m. are planned for Thursday at Crown Hill Funeral Home, 700 West 38th Street.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, James R. Hetherington, and her sister Barbara Bassett Olive of Fort Wayne. She is survived by sons: Robert Hetherington and William (Jamie) Hetherington; and by grandchildren: Rick, Amelia, Matt (Hayley), Katie, Greg (Sandy), Will and Abigail Hetherington. Survivors include nieces Cynthia Williams, Carrie (Alan) Lockcuff, Susan (Will) Monahan, Jennifer Earley; nephews Steve (Nancy) Williams, James Williams, and Richard Williams.

The daughter of William R. and Esther (Spier) Bassett, Susan was born January 28, 1931, in Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. She attended Indianapolis Public School 84. She graduated from Broad Ripple High School in 1949. Four years later, she graduated from Indiana University, Bloomington. At IU, Sue was a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority; she was recognized as the outstanding female journalism graduate; and she married Jim, that year’s outstanding male journalism graduate.

Early on she taught high school English and Journalism in Laurel, Maryland; in New Albany, Indiana; at the Loretto Academy in Louisville, Kentucky; and at Broad Ripple High School.

During the 1960s, she was the editor of Hoosier School Master of the Sixties, a regular publication of the Indiana Department of Public Instruction; served as president of the National Auxiliary of Goodwill Industries; and helped steer the Committee on Employment of the Handicapped for the President of the United States.

She did graduate work at Butler University and earned accreditation as a Certified Fund-Raising Executive through the IU School of Philanthropy.

In the 1970s, Sue began an 18-year career as executive director of the Indiana Society to Prevent Blindness; started 14 years of service on the Indiana Rehabilitation Services Commission; and initiated 20 years of service on the board of Lutheran Child and Family Services.

In the 1980s, she joined the board of the Hoosier Safety Council. In the 1990s, she joined Rotary International, the downtown Indianapolis chapter. In the 2000s, Sue joined and helped lead the Indianapolis Propylaeum, a women’s club which traces its founding in 1888 to one-room schoolhouse teacher, civic activist and suffragette Mae Wright Sewall.

Throughout her life, she devoted special, sustained attention to:

•The Fortnightly Literary Club, the Indianapolis women’s club founded in 1885, where she was a member for 55+ years.

•Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana, where she served as the first female board president and on the board for more than 40 years.

•Indiana University, the IU Alumni Association and The Media School, where with husband Jim, they funded a Smithsonian quality exhibit that celebrates the school’s rich history and endowed a journalism scholarship awarded annually.

•Bethlehem Lutheran Church, where she was a member for 50+ years.

Later in life, she cited her mother as an early role model. She recalled filling Goodwill bags with her at home and her mother as a model of dedication to hard work and service to others, principles she acted on throughout her life.

She recalled enjoying baseball games with her father, a WWI veteran and Cincinnati Reds fan, who published his own newspaper, The Union Labor News, for 50 years and grew splendid azaleas which exploded during the Easter season every spring.

Memorial donations may be made to Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana, Lutheran Child and Family Services or a charity of the donor’s choice.

IN THE CARE OF CROWN HILL FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY

Eulogy

Susan B. Hetherington

Bob Hetherington July 12, 2022

In January 1998, a hurricane formed in the South Pacific. Down there, they call them cyclones. A few days later, the storm become a Severe Tropical Cyclone. A category FIVE cyclone. Heavy rains. Destructive winds. Spin-off Tornadoes. The storm skirted the islands. No direct hits. Yet Tropical Cyclone “Susan” still ranks among the most intense tropical cyclones on record.

My mother, Susan Bassett Hetherington, was also a force of nature. She was CONSTRUCTIVE, not destructive. And across her community, across her country, and across her life……through her professional endeavors, through her volunteer activities, through her philanthropic initiatives, Sue Hetherington was a force of nature. A FAITH-DRIVEN force of nature. Over the years, Mom was a witness to history and a contributor to history. She was a strong-willed, determined leader. She was an innovative, creative thinker. She was a resourceful and indefatigable doer. She valued all people as children of God.

Mom was a cheerful woman with an infectious laugh. She enjoyed bowling, travel, friends, bridge and martinis. And Sue Hetherington found her stride and a shared bound with other Hoosier women of her generation who drove a second wave of American feminism, one which challenged and changed cultural inequities, gender role norms and the role of women in society.

The first of her family to graduate college, she valued education. After she married Dad and they graduated IU, her first jobs were teaching jobs.

She was active in American Association of University Women. She did graduate work at Butler University. She earned a certification from IU School of Philanthropy.

She worked for Indiana Senator Vance Hartke, who supported the Civil Rights Act of ‘64 and helped create Head Start. Mom attended Civil Rights era bill signing ceremony at the White House. She received a pen from President Johnson. Mom also worked for Indiana Senator Birch Bayh and with his spouse, Marvella. Sen. Bayh wrote the 37 words known as Title Nine, which outlawed gender discrimination and updated the Civil Rights Act of ’64.

As my brother shared, she had become an avid supporter of Goodwill Industries in central Indiana, which provides job training and job placement to folks with developmental delays or physical disabilities. She was elected to the presidency of the National Auxiliary to Goodwill Industries, an association of 111 chapters which supported Goodwill’s good works in communities across the country. And in 1972, she returned to the White House to help guide President Nixon’s Commission on Employment of the Handicapped. She also served the citizens of Indiana under Governors Whitcomb, Bowen and Orr on the state’s Rehabilitation Services Commission. I did not understand the connection between Mom’s Goodwill service and Mom’s Prevent Blindness work until I prepared these remarks. In a profile, she explained: “In my volunteer work with Goodwill, I quickly realized rehabilitating people with sight loss was more expensive and difficult than man of the other rehabs. Yet half of all sight loss can be prevented. People go to see the dentist on a regular basis, but they frequently don’t see an eye-care professional unless they suspect they have a problem.”

In addition to Goodwill and Prevent Blindness, Mom served others through many civic and philanthropic channels. Lutheran Child and Family Services. Hoosier Safety Council. Rotary International. Indianapolis Propylaeum. Fortnightly Literary Club. And many others I am not even aware of. One year, Mom and Dad helped underwrite a week-long “leadership congress” for high school sophomores from across the country and around the world here in Indy in partnership with the Hugh O’Brien Foundation. Who knew? I did not until I started taking inventory.

Over the years, Mom served as a mentor for young women at Broad Ripple High School. I know this because their pictures are still on her refrigerator door. Again, Mom valued education and together with Dad, they valued Indiana University, which helped them develop the skills and confidence to achieve all they have achieved. Together, they endowed a scholarship awarded annually to students at the IU Media School.

The Executive Service Corps honored Mom with an award for her decades of volunteer service 20 years ago. The public accolade prompted two of Indy’s most well-known philanthropists to write Mom. They said: “We know of your commitment to the betterment of the lives of our fellow travelers on this Planet Earth, so news of this award comes as no surprise. You love for humanity expresses itself in many forms.” When a magazine writer once asked Mom about her drive to serve, Mom responded that it was not about her at all. “It’s that good old-fashion philosophy that says you’re not fulfilling your obligation to God unless you’re doing the very best you can with the talents you’ve got.” And so today, we thank God for Mom, for the things she did, the lives she touched and the example she set. Thank you. May God Bless.