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Suellen Baisden Wallace, 81, of Elkins, passed away peacefully at home on Nov. 3, 2023, following a battle with cancer. She was under the care of WV Caring.
She was born in Elkins to the late William and Helen Louise (Dumire) Baisden on Sept. 6, 1942.
Raised in Delbarton, Mingo County, West Virginia, she spent her summers in Elkins with her grandparents. She was the proud recipient of the Golden Horseshoe award, attended Rhododendron Girls state and graduated third in the class of 1960 from Burch High School as head majorette.
Sue's life was marked by exciting adventure and service.
She married the late Jack R. Wallace in 1961.
Notably, she served as a clerk at the FBI Center, outside Washington, D.C., during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, manually surfing documents for Anti-American activities, during which she displayed commendable dedication working tirelessly for over 36 hours without break. She accompanied her husband during his U.S. Navy tour in Christchurch, New Zealand, where her two sons were born. Following their return to the United States in 1968, they spent a couple of years living in Virginia Beach before making Elkins their home. Divorced in 1983, Sue never remarried. Before retiring in 2008 from Colonial Place as Financial Director, she forged a diverse career working in clerical then administrative roles for various organizations and was the owner of McManus Office Supply.
Continuing her education was a significant achievement for Sue, graduating Magna Cum Laude in the class of 1986 from Davis & Elkins College. She earned a B.S. in Business Management, Accounting and Administration, finishing in six semesters. She was seventh overall in her class with a GPA of 3.83. She completed her schooling at the age of 44 while concurrently working two jobs.
Sue is also preceded in death by her brother, William "Denny" Baisden; her half-sister, Gwen Baisden Adkins; her special aunt, Lucille Dumire Kight; and her son, David R. Wallace.
She leaves behind her son, Jack L. Wallace and partner, LeEllen Phares, of Elkins; grandchildren, Garrett R. Wallace (Laura) of Morgantown and Casandra "Cassie" A. Shiflet (Jon) of Elkins; great-grandchildren, Nathan Miller and Dahlia Wallace of Morgantown and Magnolia and Anna Shiflet of Elkins; 11 nieces and nephews; and long-time friends, Amy Armentrout, Kitty Poling, Beth Wallace, Dorothy Merrill, Rich Liedy (Sarah) and Rodney Pingley.
She also appreciated her wonderful newfound friends, Anna, Becky, Debbie, Devona, Jennifer, Lori, Roger, Trudy, Vicky and Victoria.
Sue had a generous heart, spitfire spirit, and wonderful sense of humor. She will be missed by all who knew her.
Her family honored her wish to be cremated. She specifically requested no service, choosing to leave this world as quietly and dignified as she lived in it. Sue requested that memorial contributions be made to WV Caring in her honor.
The Randolph Funeral Home and Cremation Services has been entrusted with the arrangements for Suellen Baisden Wallace.
Send online condolences to the family at www.therandolphfuneralhome.com.