Susan H. Baker Foltz, 96

Susan H. Baker Foltz, 96, formerly of 418 E. King St., died on Sunday, September 7, 2008 at Pennswood Village, Newtown, PA, where she was a two year resident.   Born in Lancaster, she was the daughter of the late Scott Woods and Ellen (Hill Byrne) Baker.  In 1998 she married her childhood sweetheart, Charles Steinman “Chizzel” Foltz, Jr. They had seven wonderful years together with homes in Washington, DC, Lancaster, and Maine.  “Chizzel” died in 2005.

After graduation from Stevens High School and Western College in Ohio, Susie moved to New York City, returning to Lancaster in 1948 upon the death of her mother.  Susie was a charter member and third president of the Lancaster County Chapter of the League of Women Voters and served as President of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania from 1953-1955. In 1956 she was appointed and confirmed as a member of the State Civil Service Commission, serving until 1964.

An ardent advocate for better government, she served as treasurer of the Committee for State Constitutional Reform (1962), was appointed to the Pennsylvania Advisory Commission on Public Education, and was a delegate to the White House Conference on the Aging.  In 1963, she was a recipient of the “Outstanding Citizen Award” presented by the Lancaster Junior Chamber of Commerce for her efforts “to obtain a better government for Lancaster County and Pennsylvania.”

A registered Republican (although never active in party politics), she was tapped by Democrat John Pittenger to co-chair his 1970 “Citizens for Pittenger” re-election campaign and was active in the “Vote Yes” campaign for passage of the Lancaster County referendum on home rule.

Susie was elected the seventh President of the Community Action Program of Lancaster County and served on its membership, planning, executive, and evaluation committees. She was also active on the boards of the YWCA, Family and Children’s Services of Lancaster County, Children and Youth Social Services Agency, Community Council, and Friends of the Library. A member of the planning committee for the Lancaster 250^th Anniversary celebration, she also participated in the 200^th Anniversary celebration, in the Pageant of Gratitude, in 1929. As noted Lancaster Historian John W. W.  Loose remarked, “She was Lancaster’s first feminist.”  Susie had a deep love of Lancaster and Lancaster County, her cats, baseball, tennis, skiing, nature, and traveling.

She is survived by her sister, Mary Baker of Pennswood Village, a step-daughter, Nancy Foltz Vest of Memphis, TN, and Allwein, Hill Byrne and Ranck cousins in Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

Friends and family are invited to attend a funeral service on Saturday, September 13, 2008 with Rev. Richard Foster officiating at the Charles F. Snyder Funeral Home, 414 E. King Street, Lancaster, PA at 1:30PM. Interment will take place at Woodward Hill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to the Humane League of Lancaster County, Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Program, 2195 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, PA  17602.  Funeral arrangements made by the Charles F. Snyder Funeral Home, 717-393-9661.  To send the family online condolences please visit www.snyderfuneralhome.com