Susie Mead

I was sorry and surprised to learn that Susie Mead, a long-time law professor at Indiana University—Indianapolis has passed away.  I got to know Susie just a little bit when I visited with for a semester in Indianapolis, nearly two decades ago.   Susie, who was the beloved academic dean, was a great mentor to everyone in the building.  And some years later was the first woman to lead the law school when she served as interim dean.  For some reason, I learned that she was related in some way to Booth Tarkington, the early twentieth century novelist from Indianapolis.  I think it was because she realized that I was working on the 1920s and she asked what I thought of Tarkington.  I was in those days a lot closer to my once obsession with Progressive-era fictional literature, especially those midwestern writers like Sinclair Lewis, Theodore Dreiser, and Tarkington, and it was an unexpected joy to meet one of Tarkington’s descendants.  Susie was such a special person and such a warm and generous teacher and administrator.

H/t Jeff Cooper

Comments

[Ted Afield]

I would like to echo this sentiment. I got to know Susie after she retired and when I was just entering the academy on the coincidence that she and her husband, Jack, were long time friends of my aunt and uncle in Indianapolis. Every time I ran into Susie, she was always genuinely curious about what I was up to as someone who had recently entered the academy, and she always had exceptionally thoughtful advice that she shared generously with me. My guess is that there are many others both at IU and beyond who can say the same thing. When I accepted my current appointment at Georgia State, her advice was a big reason why I did. She most definitely was a model of what good mentorship looks like, and she will be missed.