Wednesday, March 20, 2024

BJ MARKETING AND ADVERTISING RETIREE SUE ELLEN MURPHY PASSES AWAY IN GEORGIA

 


                    SUE ELLEN MURPHY

Sue Ellen Murphy passes away in Georgia

 

Sue Ellen Murphy, in BJ Marketing and Advertising for years, passed away March 12 in Peachtree City, Georgia. Her funeral took place March 16 in Mowell Funeral Home in Peachtree City.

 

She also worked for Ohio Bell, the West Side Leader.

 

In 1974 Sue and her previous husband, Ron Sattler, saved the 1891 Copley Ohio Train Depot from being destroyed. They had it relocated to it current Copley Road location and formed the Copley Historical Society.

 

Sue married Michael Murphy in 1988 in a Stan Hywet Hall wedding. Sue was born to Charles and Ethel Reed. Her siblings are Charles Gene Reed, Lawrence Russsel Reed.

 

Sue’s children are David Sattler,Jeff Sattler, Kelly Batcho, Michael Murphy, Jr., Laura Neal, Caroline Smith. She has 16 grandchildren and12 great-grandchildren.

 

Sue’s obituary:

Sue Ellen Murphy, born on October 17, 1937, in Akron, Ohio, peacefully passed away on March 12, 2024 in Peachtree City, Georgia. She was surrounded by her loving family at the time of her passing. Sue lived a remarkable life of kindness and dedication, leaving behind a legacy that will forever be cherished.

 

Sue graduated from Garfield High School in 1955, where she developed many lifelong friends. Sue's professional journey began with Ohio Bell Telephone Company. Later, she embraced an administrative role at the Akron Beacon Journal, supporting the VP of Marketing and Advertising with unwavering professionalism. Her contributions to the West Side Leader further showcased her newspaper skills.

 

In 1974, Sue, and her previous husband Ron Sattler, organized a team of community leaders to save the 1891 Copley Ohio Train Depot from destruction. Their quick action stopped the railroad’s demolition process and saved the depot, which they helped relocate to it’s current location on Copley Road. In the process, they also proudly formed the Copley Historical Society.

 

Sue met her loving husband, Michael Murphy, on March 9, 1980, at Larry’s Main Entrance in Akron, Ohio. The next date was at a Saint Patrick’s Dance which started the 4-year date before marrying on April 9, 1988, at historic Stan Hywet Hall. Sue was so proud of joining her and Mike’s adult children and their children into one beautiful, laughing, and loving family. Later, they finished their work careers, played lots of golf, explored many great restaurants, and experienced plenty of the Akron area nightlife.

 

One of her favorite meals was taking the family to Belgrade Gardens for the best fried chicken dinner around. Sue was also a fabulous cook, and many thought she could have been a professional food and book critic.

 

After many vacations to their condo home on Hilton Head Island, Sue and Mike relocated there permanently in 2006. Sue, being an adventurous person, found the best places to enjoy their new island lifestyle. Along with entertaining many family visitors, she also enjoyed thrift stores and antique shops. She was still thrifting right up to the week before departing us.

Sue Ellen is preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Ethel Reed, her brothers Charles Gene Reed and Lawrence Russel Reed, her stepson Kevin Murphy, and her ex-husband Ronald Sattler.

 

In her personal life, Sue Ellen left behind her loving husband Michael J. Murphy, her children David (Janet) Sattler, Jeff (Karen) Sattler, Kelly (Mark) Batcho, and her bonus children Michael (Katherine) Murphy Jr., Laura (Mark) Neal, Caroline (Lonnie) Smith, grandchildren Nicole (David) Palmer, Katie (Ryan) Strine, Joe Sattler, Jenny (Stephen) Harris, Bobby (Tracy) Sattler, Tyler Penrose, Travis Batcho, Erin (Will) Diver, Hannah Murphy, Patrick Murphy, Abby Neal, Casey Neal, Ryan (Marella) Murphy, Kayla Murphy, Jessica Murphy, Josh Smith, along with 12 great-grandchildren and many cherished friends

Sue always had a smile on her face and while she might not have been the life of the party, her humor and social skills brought life to the party. She loved her country rides, peach picking, finding the best ice cream, and there were few roadside stands she didn’t explore. Sue’s passion for enjoying life was huge.

 

While we mourn Sue’s loss, we find solace in the memories she created and the lives she touched with her grace and compassion. Her spirit will live on in the hearts of those who were fortunate enough to know her. Sue's legacy of hard work, love, and kindness will continue to inspire all who were blessed to be a part of her life. She wants us all to love one another, read a good book or a bad book that might turn out to be good, listen to some good and bad music, and watch a good movie. She will miss us all dearly, as we will miss her. May she rest in peace, knowing that her legacy of love and devotion will be remembered for generations to come.

 

A memorial service will be held at 3:00 PM on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at the Chapel of Mowell Funeral Home, Peachtree City. The family will receive friends from 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM prior to the service at the funeral home.

 

In lieu of flowers, Sue requested donations to the American Heart Association.

 

We welcome you to provide your condolences, thoughts, and memories on our Tribute Wall.

 

Mowell Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Peachtree City, www.mowells.com


Saturday, March 09, 2024

CATCHING UP WITH FORMER BJ GUILD PRESIDENT AND LEAD REPORTER FOR BJ GOLDSMITH SAGA PULITZER-WINNING COVERAGE







               RICK RIEFF IN SUIT AND TIE


RICK RIEFF AT GODFATHER AND UNCLE JACK SURIANO'S 100TH BIRTHDAY 



CATCHING UP WITH

Rick Rieff

 

Rick Rieff, business writer and the lead reporter on a BJ team that won a 1987 Pulitzer Prize for its coverage of Goodyear's battle with Anglo-French corporate raider’s Sir James Goldsmith.

It cost Goodyear $3 billion to make Goldsmith go away. $618.8 million went to Goldsmith and his partners.

As BJ Guild president Rick had the foresight to push for a 401(k) that the Guild got from the BJ in 1989. That helped me, when I retired in 1996, build up enough money that I’m still financially secure in 2024 after 28 years of not working at the BJ.

Thanks, Rick.

 

In 2008 Rick married Mary Ann Brown, senior vice president of Pacific Life Insurance Company.  Rick has a daughter, Jennie; a son-in-law, Orange County, California Fire Authority Capt. Steve Miller; and a grandson, Elias Stephen Miller. Jennie and Steve made Rick a grandfather in 2004.

He golfs in California where he’s “two strokes off a single-digit handicap.”

For those who want to resume contact with Rick his new email address is rr@rickre8iff.com.

Rick leaves in Laguna Beach, California where, he tells me, “I’m still enjoying the California sunshine, the California ‘sunshine tax’ not so much.

Rick is host/producer of PBS SoCal, executive director of the Orange County Business Journal. He came from Chicago after a Northwestern University Journalism adventure.

He's a 4-time Golden Mike winners for his TV ventures, received three-time Emmy nominations and in 2018 of the Orange County Press Club's Lifetime Achievement Award. 

 

He began his journalism career as a sports intern with the Chicago Sun-Times and as a stringer for the Chicago Tribune. His first full-time reporting job was at the Norwalk (Ohio) Reflector.

 

He went from Norwalk to walk into BJ at 44 E. Exchange Street.

 

Next came his role as managing editor of Business First in Columbus, then editor in New York state of the Westchester Business Journal before joining Forbes magazine as a staff writer.

 

Somewhere along the line Rick worked in media and journalism professor at Chapman University in Orange, California.

 

From 2004 through 2018 Rick hosted and produced "Inside OC with Rick Reiff” and "SoCal Insider with Rick Reiff," which aired on PBS SoCal, the Los Angeles region's PBS flagship station. The shows also aired on KDOC-TV and Cox Cable.

 

He co-hosted "Studio SoCal" for three seasons on PBS SoCal which won the Golden Mike for Best News Public Affairs Program in Southern California, Division B, in 2011 and "SoCal Insider" won the same award in 2012 and 2013.