The Gladewater Beautification Board honored former board president and community leader Suzanne Bardwell with a Japanese Maple tree planting and plaque Friday at the pocket park at Broadway and Pacific, next to the antique fire truck. Suzanne, who was killed in a car wreck on Jan. 7, 2022, was a strong advocate for beautifying Gladewater and keeping the city clean. Board members, along with chamber of commerce and city officials joined Jim, Josh and Jennifer Bardwell at the ceremony. Although Suzanne wasn’t from Gladewater, she embraced the community and worked tirelessly to leave her adopted home a better place than she found it. Suzanne loved nature and the beautiful of the turning of the leaves in the Fall and the Japanese Maple’s red leaves gave her that beauty year round. Photo by James Draper
By James Draper
Suzanne Bardwell’s legacy endures – look no further than the thriving Japanese Maple freshly-planted downtown.
The crimson-leafed tree is not only a tangible example of Bardwell’s dedication to beautifying her adopted community but also a tribute to her ‘We can do this’ mantra. It’s one her colleagues from Gladewater’s Beautification Board remembered fondly as they gathered to honor their late-chairperson alongside family and friends Friday afternoon.
“She was our leader and she was our driving force,” said Todd Clifton, Austin Bank president and leader of the beautification committee. “When Suzanne was determined to do something, she was all in. It wasn’t a little bit. She was gung-ho.
“Suzanne cared deeply about the appearance of our city, our community, our pride in our neighborhoods and our public places. She worked diligently on projects to enhance the aesthetics and natural beauty of Gladewater with an emphasis on litter control, code enforcement and community partnership. She even cared about the potholes.”