Dr. Mary Susan Power, 86, a retired professor of political science at Arkansas State University, passed away of natural causes on August 9, 2021.

Susan was born in Hazelton, Pennsylvania on July 5, 1935 to the late Younger L. Power and Cleo Boock Power. The family moved to Ilion, New York, where Susan's father was elected to three terms as mayor. No doubt this sparked her lifelong interest in politics.

Susan earned her B.A. from Wells College, her M.A. from Stanford University and her Ph.D. from the University of Illinois. She taught at the University of Arkansas before moving to Jonesboro in 1968. Dr. Power taught political science at ASU for thirty-two years. Among her published works was "Before the Convention: Religion and the Founders," in which she explored the connections between religious ideas and political philosophy, one of her abiding interests. Many lawyers, prosecutors and judges in Arkansas studied under her.

She was active in the Craighead County Republican Party, and was an alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1972, 1976 and 1988. Raised as a Lutheran, she converted to Catholicism and was an active member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Jonesboro.

She is survived by her daughter, Catherine; three grandchildren, Cadence Lovelace Power, Credence Lawson Power and Christian Lee Power Pyle and brother, Dr. Younger Lovelace Power Jr.

A celebration of her life will be 12:00 noon Saturday, September 11, 2021 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church with a reception to follow.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Friday, September 10, 2021 at Gregg-Langford Bookout Funeral Home.

In accordance with her wishes, her remains were cremated.