Lake Tahoe Maritime museum friend and board member Sue Stout died April 16, 2015, from an unexpected cerebral hemorrhage. Her husband, Richard, and son, Christopher, were with her at Renown Medical Center in Reno.

Sue was Tahoe Maritime Museum’s marketing guru and editor of the member newsletter “Tahoe MariTimes.” Working an untold number of hours on each issue, she made sure all the publications were at their best. Sue was well known amongst the Friends of the Museum, as she and Rich often hosted Friends’ events at their home. Sue was also the smiling face greeting members and visitors at the annual Launch Party and other Museum events. Her thoughtfulness and boundless energy will put us in her debt forever.

Boating became her avocation and hobby starting with sailboats, “woodies”, and later an express cruiser known as Navy Blue. She and Rich spent time relaxing and entertaining aboard during summers at Lake Tahoe and winters on San Francisco Bay. Married to an avid downhill skier, Sue saw herself as an Iowa flatlander who loved the apres ski fun of alpine winters.

Sue was born Nov. 2, 1940, to Wilma Haines and Elmer “Steve” Steff in Davenport, Iowa. A graduate of Davenport High School, Sue earned her bachelor’s in journalism with an emphasis in public relations and advertising from the University of Iowa. Her career started at the Iowa City Press Citizen where she rose through the ranks. The Iowa City Press Citizen was a member of the transcontinental Speidel Newspapers group and Sue was selected to be Speidel’s promotion manager and first woman executive at their corporate headquarters in Reno in 1974.

Sue married Speidel executive, Richard M. Stout in Reno on June 20, 1977. After Speidel’s merger with the Gannett Newspaper Group, Sue retired and followed her husband’s career, which took them from Reno to St. Cloud, Minn., and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Returning to Davenpor,t Sue gave birth to their son, Christopher, in January of 1981. Retiring from Gannett, the Stouts returned back to Reno in early 1982. In 1983, she and her husband purchased and ran Reno Printing Inc. until they sold it in 2004.

Sue’s generosity and kindness touched many and she will be remembered for her joyous sense of humor and her unfailing graciousness. She also served on the boards of the Nevada Opera Association and the Nevada Women’s Fund. Although “formally” retired from both newspaper and commercial printing businesses, Sue still was meeting deadlines. She did pro bono publication and collateral design for several nonprofit groups, such as Tahoe Maritime Museum, Tahoe Yacht Club, and Tahoe Yacht Club Foundation, where she and her husband were both involved.

She leaves behind her husband, Richard, son Christopher, daughter-in-law Stephanie, grandsons Ryan and Garrett, and granddaughter, Savannah.

The family will have a memorial service to be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Sue’s name to the Nevada Women’s Fund, Tahoe Yacht Club Foundation, and Tahoe Maritime Museum.