This is one of many tributes-from-a-friend, offered for Susan White Bowden on her birthday. A highly respected WMAR-2 News reporter who died on April 26 of this year, Susan matched the description of a life-giving individual, the kind of woman everyone likes. In addition to being competent and widely known, she was exceptionally kind. My first interaction with her was at rehearsal for a play Harvey at the Hunt Valley Inn. Almost everyone else in the cast was a celebrity (I wasn’t) but they treated me as an equal, consistently giving me reassurance and encouragement. That same kindness was again ever-present in another play Gypsy where she and Jack Bowden were both in the cast.
Twenty-five years ago she gave me a signed copy of her book Moonbeams Come At Dark Times which describes the trials and tragedies of her life, but also her triumphs — and she did triumph, very courageous like a champ. Another entry on her Facebook timeline said it this way: “Happy heavenly birthday” — Let me echo that perfect way to say it.