Suzanne Nemeth
1944 - 2006


March 27, 2006

Dear Fellow Buckeyes,

Last month, a great Ohio State Lady Buckeye and our dear friend, Suzanne Nemeth, passed after a long illness.  She was universally recognized as the primary force in founding and organizing the Middle Tennessee Ohio State Alumni Club some 25 years ago.

A 1966 graduate of The Ohio State University, Suzanne became a career teacher in the Nashville school system.  She always felt a strong personal responsibility to The Ohio State University, and was determined to establish a University recognized Alumni Club in the Nashville area.

In the late 70's before many of us had home computers and before the internet existed, she started the club by placing newspaper ads to draw Buckeyes to TV game watches, took down names and addresses in her spiral pad, and in her engaging manner, enlisted others to help her organize calling trees.  At her own expense, she mailed post cards (that's what PC meant before PC's) and made dozens of phone calls each week to gather a crowd of Buckeyes in the Bellvue area.  She served as the 'permanent' Club President and did everything else as well.
Suzanne became famous for organizing and promoting Spring Dinners for area Buckeyes with a speaker from the University (here with Ohio State wrestling coach and Olympian Rick Hellickson) - and famous also for encouraging others to help her expand and formalize the club structure.  She also tracked down other Buckeye game watch groups and invited them to become part of a larger, unified Ohio State club.

By 1994, the club had computerized records for 300 members and an email list that had replaced her spiral pad and calling trees.  In 1995, she lassoed a volunteer to do a club website at no cost to the club.  But at TV gatherings, she still introduced herself to all new faces and jotted down those new names and addresses in her spiral pad to be added to our club records.

Gradually, Suzanne's unrelentiing drive attracted a team of committed Buckeyes to help her.  This number of enlisted volunteers grew to staff College Nights each year for local schools, to establish  public service projects, to fund Freshmen Scholarships for Tennessee kids at Ohio State, and finally to help create the four-year Lynne Murray Stockwell Endowed Scholarship for Ohio State students from Tennessee.

In Suzanne's honor, the Middle Tennessee club continues to receive donations for the Development Fund at The Ohio State University.  We ask that you join us in the recognition of Suzanne's memory, and of her many contributions to our club and to The Ohio State University.  The gifts will be credited to the club's Endowed Scholarship for Tennessee students at Ohio State.

Suzanne battled cancer for many years, but after she became so desperately ill in 2004, she moved back to Ohio to be closer to immediate family.  Her heart, though, was still with her beloved Middle Tennessee Ohio State Club.  She remained a club member and financial supporter, and as late as February 2005 traveled back to Nashville to be part of our Club Planning Meeting for that year (here receiving an Outstanding Service Award from The Ohio State University Alumni Association presented by Club President Mike Minch) . 

Suzanne was a dear and good friend to all of us and a very special Buckeye.  She was 61.

Thank you all

Mike Stockwell - President  March 2006



Gifts can be sent payable/to:

Ohio State Club
  % Sam Huffman
8212 Wikle Road East
Brentwood, TN  37027

or to:

The Ohio State University Development Office
Fund #646980
705 Fawcett Center
2400 Olentangy River Road
Columbus, OH  43210     .... notated in Suzanne's name.


                    The Ohio State Alumni Club of Middle Tennessee       www.capp.org