A City’s Heartbeat Remembering Sue Dowdy

A City’s Heartbeat

Remembering Sue Dowdy

Charles Romans

The Ashland Beacon

Some people do more than live in a community—they hold it together. They are the familiar presence at every event, the steady voice of encouragement behind every success, the quiet force connecting neighbors, organizations, and dreams. They are the thread woven through the fabric of daily life, binding it with energy, generosity, and compassion. Sue Dowdy of Ashland, Kentucky was one of those rare people, and her absence is felt in every corner of the city she loved.

When Sue Dowdy passed recently, the void was felt by everyone who ever had the pleasure of meeting or working with her. Sue was as big as life, as the saying goes—a light that burned so brightly that no one could help but notice when it faded. She helped local businesses, local organizations, and, more importantly, local (and other) individuals grow, succeed, and become better versions of themselves. Her help, insight, and talent were widely known and deeply appreciated.

In the days following her passing, many individuals took to The Ashland Beacon’s Facebook page to share their thoughts and memories. Local musician Bronson Bush posted, “It’s impossible to describe the impact Sue had on me, much like I know she had on so many others. A true friend, larger-than-life personality, and one of the most supportive people I’ve ever known. She will never ever be forgotten. Thank you for everything, Sue!!”

Former Boyd County Sheriff Bobby Jack Woods said of Dowdy, “She was one of a kind and could make you smile anytime…” MaryAnn York, who worked with Dowdy at the Convention Center, shared, “I feel like one of my family members has passed. She taught me so much!” The list of those expressing their grief at the loss of a woman everyone called friend continued to grow on the Beacon’s page and elsewhere.

Ashland Beacon Publisher Philip Stewart shared his own memories of Dowdy, whom he had known for many years. “I first met her when Chuck Charles took over Summer Motion,” Stewart recalled. “One of my tasks was to book local entertainment with Sue, who I had not yet met. But as soon as we met and started talking, I just loved her, and we became dear friends.”

Stewart spoke fondly of Dowdy’s mentorship, noting that she trained him in the ins and outs of working on committees like Summer Motion and others. “I worked on Summer Motion with her for several years, and then I got to be on the Poage Landing Committee, which she was over.” Stewart said her guidance was key to his eventually taking over at Poage Landing, crediting her advice as a major part of his success.

“People just don’t know all the groundwork that Sue laid for all these events,” Stewart said. “The work she did in the beginning is what has made them what they are today. We’ve had some big Poage Landing Festivals, and none of those would have happened without Sue Dowdy’s involvement throughout the years. That is something I am really thankful for.”

Ashland Mayor Chuck Charles, who has known Dowdy for many years dating back to his previous tenure as mayor, offered insight into what made her so ever-present and so deeply invested in the community. “Sue was big on family,” Charles said. “She thought that all of Ashland was her family—and she acted that way.”

“That was Sue,” he continued. “She loved what she did. We go way back to her Ashland Oil days. I had interactions with her going back to the Tri-State Fair and Regatta. And when I took over Summer Motion, she stayed with it and played a very big role in all that we did. That was tourism, and that’s what she did.” Charles added that Dowdy handled much of the park-related work and entertainment during Summer Motion, noting that her many connections were invaluable.

Beyond the events themselves, Charles remembered Dowdy as a tireless ambassador for the city. “She was always trying to promote Ashland,” he said. “She did that very well, because she thought of Ashland as her family—and everyone wants to brag on their family.” He recalled how she promoted Ashland across the state, attending conferences and state fairs and sharing her pride in the city everywhere she went.

Perhaps one of the many reasons people loved Dowdy so deeply was her attitude. “She was always so positive,” Charles said. “I never heard her say a single ill word about anybody. If she was putting information out there, it was something positive.”

Sue Dowdy helped countless people achieve their dreams, in large part because she was living her own. Her life stands as a reminder that success is still built on dedication, optimism, and a willingness to work for the good of others. Ashland may feel quieter without her, but the legacy she leaves behind lives on in every event she helped shape, every person she encouraged, and every part of the community she proudly called family.