Susie Ione Brown Waxwood facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Susie Ione Brown Waxwood
Susie Ione Brown, from the 1925 yearbook of Howard University
Born	September 12, 1902 Gray, Louisiana
Died	January 30, 2006 (aged 103) Plainsboro Township, New Jersey
Occupation	Philanthropist, clubwoman

Susie Ione Brown Waxwood (September 12, 1902 – January 30, 2006) was an American woman known for her kindness and community work. She was a philanthropist, meaning she helped others through donations and good deeds. She was also a clubwoman, which means she was active in many community groups. Susie Waxwood lived most of her life in Princeton, New Jersey.

Early Life and Education

Susie Ione Brown was born in Gray, Louisiana. Her parents, John D. Brown and Elizabeth Saulsby Brown, were both teachers. Her father also worked in insurance. Susie had a brother named Russell Wilfred Brown, who became a doctor and professor at Tuskegee Institute.

Susie went to high school in New Orleans. After that, she attended Howard University, a famous historically Black university. She graduated in 1925. While at Howard, she joined the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. A sorority is a social and service club for women in college.

A Life of Service

After college, Susie Waxwood dedicated her life to helping her community. She worked with many important organizations.

Starting a Sorority Chapter

In 1927, after graduating, Susie helped start the first Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority chapter for Black women in Louisiana. This was a big step for Black "Greek Letter" sororities in the state. She later became the president of this chapter.

Working with the Red Cross

When she moved to New Jersey in 1935, Susie got involved with the Red Cross. This was during World War II. She worked hard to make sure the Red Cross blood bank was fair for everyone in the 1940s. This meant helping to end segregation, so people of all races could donate blood.

Leading the YWCA

Susie Waxwood became the executive director of the Princeton YWCA (Young Women's Christian Association) in 1958. She was the first Black person to lead this branch. She worked there until 1968. Later, she was also the acting director for the Montclair-North Essex YWCA from 1969 to 1971. In 1998, she helped raise money for the Princeton YWCA. Today, the Princeton YWCA gives out an award called the Waxwood Lifetime Award in her honor.

Community Involvement

Susie Waxwood helped start other important groups too. She co-founded the Princeton Adult School, which helps adults learn new things. She also helped create the Witherspoon Federal Credit Union, a place where people could save and borrow money.

She served on the board of directors for the Princeton Nursery School. She also helped the Princeton Regional Scholarship Foundation. This group gives money to students for college. She was very active in the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, which works for civil rights. She was also a founding member of The Links, a group of Black women dedicated to community service. In 1977, she was named Soroptimist Woman of the Year. Soroptimist is a global organization for women in business and professions.

Church and Senior Care

Susie Waxwood was very active at the Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church starting in 1942. She became an elder, which is a leader in the church. She also led the Women's Association. She helped start the Princeton Crisis Ministry there, which helps people in need.

She represented New Jersey at the White House Conference on Aging. This conference discussed how to help older people. She also led the Mercer County Office on Aging. An apartment building was named "The Waxwood" after her husband. She even attended the dedication ceremony. Susie also donated old materials from the Witherspoon Street School to the Historical Society of Princeton. This helped preserve local history.

A Visit to Kindergarten

In 2003, when Susie Waxwood was 100 years old, she visited a kindergarten class in Tryon, North Carolina. She helped the children celebrate their 100th day of school. She shared stories about how much the world had changed during her long life. "I can remember the first time I saw a telephone, light bulb and gracious me, an automobile," she told the children. "It was a Ford and my oldest brother learned how to drive it in the pasture. I think he frightened the cows."

Personal Life and Legacy

Susie Ione Brown married Howard B. Waxwood Jr. in 1929. He was a scientist and educator. Howard passed away in 1977. They had one son, Howard B. Waxwood III, who died in 1979.

In 2002, Susie moved to Tryon, North Carolina, to live closer to her granddaughter. She passed away in Plainsboro, New Jersey, in 2006, at the amazing age of 103.

Susie Waxwood's portrait hangs in the lobby of the Princeton YWCA. Her birthday is still celebrated with a canned goods drive by the Princeton Crisis Ministry. In 2007, Susie and her husband were honored as "Unsung Heroes" at Princeton's Community House. They were also featured in a coloring book for Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2021, showing their lasting impact.