Susan Bayh
Susan Lynne Breshears Bayh (November 28, 1959 – February 5, 2021) was an American attorney, professor, and public servant who served as the 46th First Lady of Indiana from 1989 to 1997 during her husband Evan Bayh's tenure as governor.[1][2] At age 29 upon her husband's inauguration, she was the youngest first lady in the state's history in 150 years.[1] Born in Whittier, California, to an engineer father and media editor mother, Bayh earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of California, Berkeley in 1981 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law in 1984.[2][3] Bayh practiced law at firms including Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in Los Angeles and Barnes & Thornburg in Indianapolis, and spent over 20 years as an attorney at Eli Lilly and Company.[3] She taught as an adjunct professor at USC Gould and a distinguished visiting business professor at Butler University, and organized student externship programs in Washington, D.C.[3] Appointed by President Bill Clinton, she served as a U.S. Commissioner on the International Joint Commission from 1994 to 2001, where she facilitated consensus on environmental issues, including toxic substances like PCBs affecting U.S.-Canada ecosystems.[4] Bayh also served on corporate boards in biotechnology, telecommunications, and healthcare, and contributed to Indiana University’s Dean’s Council.[1] In philanthropy, Bayh founded a 501(c)(3) organization to address adult illiteracy and mentored students across institutions.[1] Married to Evan Bayh for over 35 years, she was the mother of twin sons, both Harvard graduates and U.S. military officers.[1] Bayh died from complications of glioblastoma following a prolonged battle with the disease, diagnosed after initial brain surgery in 2015.[1]