If you’ve lived in Brea for a while you likely know Susan Gaede, or Newsy Suzie, who kept us up on the chatter around town through her column in our local newspapers for more nearly 50 years.
Suzie is no longer writing for a newspaper, but still is interested in what is going on in Brea and sharing highlights from her many years of covering events and people in Brea and La Habra.
I recently visited Suzie and her husband Rex, a retired Air Force Colonel, at their home. Arthritis keeps Suzie pretty much at home, but she keeps up with what’s new and all the local happenings and still loves a scoop!
Suzie has an identical twin, Louise, who is also a columnist, but in Northern California.
Growing up, they were known as Sue and Lou and had much fun and mischief being identical. For instance, as teens they were hospital candy strippers. Suzie said a patient said he thought he was seeing double when he saw them together.
Suzie didn’t like her senior photo so she used Lou’s. But probably their worst twin trick was in college when Sue took an exam for Lou and they got caught and nearly kicked out. Another time, they sneaked into the Academy Awards dinner and didn’t get kicked out. They both love celebrities.
Suzie said she never planned to be a journalist, and was an elementary school teacher for three years and a substitute teacher at bases round the world when Rex was an active Air Force officer.
Later she worked in public relations, contacting television stations and newspapers. That led to the women’s editor of the Brea Star-Progress asking her to write a social column.
“The rest was history,” said Suzie, “and ‘Gadabout with Suzie’ began.”
She loved taking photos and was thrilled when she was asked to be the photo editor of a new Brea newspaper, the Brea Good News, and continued writing her column, which became Newsy Susie.
After that newspaper folded, The Orange County Register asked her to write a column with photos covering six towns, including Brea.
“I did that for three years, ” she said, “until they split into neighborhood papers.” Then her column covered only Brea and La Habra.
And Suzie was everywhere something was happening. Be it a celebrity in town, a new store opening, school projects, they were a part of her columns, along with locals’ wedding, anniversaries and funerals.
Suzie didn’t remember, but I was once in her column. I wrote about creative Christmas gift wrapping for the Fedco Reporter. Suzie saw it and I made her column. What a hoot.
Movie director James Cameron was her neighbor and she often wrote about his latest films and his connection to Brea. “My family and I were invited to the Titanic cast party,” said Susie.
Susie is very proud to be Brea’s first POW-MIA coordinator. Cameron even donated a painting he did for her POW-MIA campaign. The city adopted MIA Stephen Hanson and she led fundraising efforts on his behalf, including a swim-a-thon at Brea Olinda High School for a college fund for Hanson’s 5-year old son.
She said they had many fundraising campaigns, including a walk-a-thon to Knott’s Berry Farm.
“I was shocked when I was named, ‘Girl in My Life’ on a TV show for my efforts, and awarded a trip to Hawaii for my entire family,” said Suzie.
One of Suzie’s favorites is her “Wall of Fame” in her home. It is filled with more than 100 photos, mostly ones that she’s shot of famous people, including former President Ronald Reagan, John Wayne and many others.
Remember her column’s Crystal Ball? Was it ever wrong? She said only once, when a store that was to open in Brea decided not to.
What a treasure Newsy Susie still is to Brea and La Habra. How fortunate we’ve been to have her in our towns and in our newspapers all those years. Why not let her know via email: Suzgaede@aol.com.
Terri Daxon is a freelance writer and the owner of Daxon Marketing Communications. She gives her perspective on Brea issues twice a month. Contact her at daxoncomm@gmail.com.
