Sue Ann Wood Papers

The collection assembled over time by Sue Ann Wood Poor.  The collection donated to the Media Archives after her passing.  

First accession received from Scott Pool, personal representative of the Estate of Sue Ann Wood Poor.

Second accession received from Tim Poor, Sue Ann Wood Poor’s stepson.

The papers of Sue Ann Wood Poor (1930-2016) span the years

1946-2010, with the bulk of the material date ranging from 1960s1990s.  The papers consist of a large collection of personal correspondence, publications and professional articles, University of Missouri, Rotary International Foundation Fellow, photographs, clippings, along with St. Louis Globe-Democrat, and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and professional awards memorabilia.  

St. Louis journalist, Sue Ann Wood (1930-2016) was a native of Jefferson City, and the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Benson (Glee) Wood.  She attended Jefferson City public schools and graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism in 1952.  From 1952-53, Wood studied at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, on a Rotary International fellowship.  

Wood began her post-graduate journalism career working for the St. Petersburg, Florida Times as a copy editor and reporter from March of 1954 until June of 1955.  

She began as a general assignment reporter at the Globe-Democrat in 1955.  During the 1960s she wrote feature articles and covered a number of stories including the building of the Arch.  In the early 1970s, she received national awards for her series of articles on alcohol and  highway safety.   She was the first woman to hold the job of city night editor in September 1975, and was promoted to city editor in March of 1977.  The GlobeDemocrat named Wood assistant managing editor for administration in July of 1979.  

She remained at the Globe-Democrat until 1984 and then joined the St. Louis PostDispatch.  During her tenure at the Post-Dispatch she held position of reader’s advocate, feature writer and editor.   She retired on April 1, 1999. 

Wood was active in professional associations in St. Louis.  She was past president of the St. Louis Chapter of Women in Communications, Inc.; and past president of the St. Louis chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi.  She was a board member of the St. Louis Journalism Foundation, the Mid-American Press Institute and the Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis.  She was inducted into the St. Louis Media Hall of Fame in 2013.  

In 1977, Wood married St. Louisan, Johnson Poor, who died in 1979.  

Sue Ann Wood Poor died on March 10, 2016, at the age of 85.    

Alphabetical by topic.  The collection organized into subseries.

Subseries 1:  Correspondence
Subseries 2:  Biographical
Subseries 3:  Photographs
Subseries 4:  Education
Subseries 5:  Professional
Subseries 6:  Manuscript
Subseries 7:  Awards and Memorabilia

The Media Archives Oral History Collection contains an interview (transcript & audio) of Ms. Wood.  A CD audio recording is located in the Media Archives Audiovisual Collection.  

The Glee Cardwell Wood Papers is held in Special Collections.

Miscellaneous publications - 1969 Grandfather Mountain Highland Game,

House of Howard’s Bluff:  Missouri’s Executive Mansion, 

Echoes from the Woods Centennial Edition 1870-1970, and
Westminster College Magazine, Summer 1969