Today's Featured Biography

susan demar DeMar

5/1/2022

Hello. My name is Susan DeMar (Webber).

I graduated from high school in 1977 and married shortly after. My husband and I moved to Liverpool, NY where I had my 3 children. I worked at Syracuse University (SU) for over 13 years and while I worked at SU, I attended classes and earned my degree in Psychology. SU paid for it since I was an employee. All I paid for were my books.

I relocated to Las Cruces, New Mexico and
retired after 15 years of service at New Mexico State University (NMSU) in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

I’ve always been fascinated with lighthouses ever since I was 12 years old. It all began with the Oswego West Pierhead Lighthouse in Oswego, NY.

After I retired from 15 years at New Mexico State University (NMSU) I packed up my belongings in my Ruby Ford Escape and headed to the Pacific Northwest coast of Oregon. One year before I retired, I started searching for lighthouse jobs.

I found a job opening becoming available in the spring of 2019 which was perfect timing because I retired the end of January 2019.

In February I drove to Oregon and my dream was about to come true. I was hired as a Sales Associate to work part time at the beautiful Heceta Head Lighthouse Giftshop. The Heceta Head also has a beautiful bed & breakfast. It was a world-renowned destination. And I, Susan DeMar, was about to embark on an amazing journey that most people can only dream of doing.

On my days off I would drive along the Pacific Coast and scope out other lighthouses. Oregon has 11 lighthouses total. During my time living in Florence, Oregon, I was able to see the Cape Meares lighthouse, the Umpqua Lighthouse, the Yaquina Lighthouse, and the Cape Blanco lighthouse.

Oregon is also home of the beautiful and amazing Willamette Valley, Oregon’s leading wine region, and home to nearly 700 wineries.

The Willamette Valley is huge. At its widest point, this long, broad valley spans sixty miles. Protected from cold Pacific Ocean air and rainstorms on the west by the Coast Range mountains, the Valley follows the Willamette River for more than a hundred miles from the Columbia River near Portland to just south of Eugene.

I explored some of the wineries and they were so green and breathtaking, and the wine was wonderful.

I’ve also been to these lighthouses in upstate New York: Tibbetts Point Lighthouse in Cape Vincent, NY, Sodus Bay Lighthouse in Sodus Point, NY, and Dunkirk Historical Lighthouse. In the short time I’ve lived in Maryland I’ve seen the Concord Point Lighthouse in Havre de Grace.

I lived in beautiful Scottsdale/Gilbert, Arizona for 2 years after I returned from Oregon.

I am now in Maryland staying with my youngest daughter while deciding where my next JOURNEY will be. I have 3 children, Lisa DeMar in Virginia, Laura DeMar in Maryland and Steven DeMar in Scottsdale, Arizona.

I'm single now and working part time on a STEM outreach grant at Howard Community College in Columbia, Maryland.

Thank you for sharing my journey of Sue Webber!

Best Wishes,
Susan DeMar
2022

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