2024 October 22 Show and Tell -Meet Susan Daye, Hopewell City Council Candidate - Ward 5

Meet Susan Daye, Candidate for Hopewell City Council, Ward 5
Who Is Susan Daye?

I was born into a military family in Norfolk, Virginia. My father's naval career meant my early childhood was spent in Virginia Beach. When I was five, my family moved to Hopewell after my father retired from the Navy and began working at the Federal Correctional Institute in Petersburg. I am the youngest of three daughters. My parents have been married for 70 years.

I attended Patrick Copeland Elementary School and graduated from Hopewell High School in 1983. Both of my sisters as well as my two children also graduated from HHS.

I married young, at age 20, which was common at the time. My eldest, Samantha (Sam), was born in 1987. To supplement our income, I started a daycare business out of our home, allowing me to earn a living while staying home with my kids. My son Michael was born in 1996, and I continued operating the daycare. Once both children were in school, I worked as a substitute teacher and teacher's aide at Patrick Copeland Elementary, in addition to volunteering extensively.

Growing up in the close-knit Hopewell community, I cherished the small-town feel. I was involved in Brownies, Girl Scouts, 4-H, and my local church. I made lifelong friends, I worked at McDonald's and Winn Dixie. As an adult, I've owned successful businesses, worked in healthcare, and volunteered with the local emergency crew and nursing home. I also was a volunteer with the Hopewell Petersburg Crisis Pregnancy Center.

Reading, photography, and horseback riding are my passions. Now, as I look toward retirement, I'm excited to focus on our community and run for city council - driven by my deep love for Hopewell and desire to help rebuild it as a safe, vibrant, and close-knit town.