Susan DeTemple

Susan DeTemple, born on October 26, 1947, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, passed away on March 14, 2026, in Huntington, West Virginia. A proud graduate of Southside High School in Hookstown, Pennsylvania, where she served as class valedictorian in 1965, she went on to earn a BA in Elementary Education from Marshall University. There she met her husband, Ron DeTemple, beginning a loving marriage that lasted just shy of 60 years. Together they raised two daughters, Jill DeTemple, married to Gordon O’Brien, and Karen DeTemple, married to Chris Haegglund.

Susan taught elementary school for several years before joining Ron in their family business. Later in life, honoring her family’s tradition of caregiving, she returned to Marshall University to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and worked as a registered nurse. A woman of quiet strength and deep compassion, she was known for her selfless service to others. She rocked premature babies in the hospital, knitted hats for newborns in the NICU, and sewed whimsical pillowcases for children facing illness. Her commitment to children also led her to serve as a CASA volunteer, where she was named Volunteer of the Year in 2002. She created a warm and welcoming home for her family, serving as a respected matriarch, patient listener, and source of constant love and kindness.

Susan carried forward the legacy of her mother and grandmother through her passion for quilting and needlework. She was celebrated for her thoughtful gift-giving and creative care packages, and she found joy in her Bible study group, quilting and knitting circles, her Bunko group, and the Florida Newcomer Club. She and Ron shared a deep love for Marshall University athletics, faithfully following the Herd to home and away football games for 17 years and witnessing two national championships and the team’s remarkable success in the 1990s.

She is survived by her husband Ron; daughters Jill and Karen; sons-in-law Gordon and Chris; sister Karen Eastman; brothers Scott Walker and Bruce Walker; grandchildren Kate O’Brien and Ali O’Brien; and several nieces and nephews. In keeping with her lifelong spirit of generosity, Susan and Ron donated a home to Habitat for Humanity and established the Ron and Susan DeTemple Endowed Scholarship for Men’s Basketball through the Big Green Scholarship Foundation.