Friends, I’m sorry to be sharing the news that we have lost a shining talent.

Writer and artist Susie Surtees died suddenly this week, aged 65.

Susie started the Word Banquet group in Ballarat this year, and was a recent attendee at Words Out Loud, reading a wonderfully entertaining piece.

It took only one meeting with Susie to know her as a woman of intellect and energy, and we at Words Out Loud feel the loss of being denied the opportunity to get to know her better creatively and as a beautiful human being.

I’m sure our WOL community will join with me in offering our condolences to Susie’s family and friends. Her daughter, Jane, has left a lovely tribute on Susie’s Facebook page, which illuminates the vivid life Susie led and the lives she touched.

Jane asks in her post that people set a place at the table for Susie, and we will do just that at August’s Words Out Loud in tribute to a friend well met and too soon departed.

– Jason Nahrung