Sue Ellen Allen
On February 24th, the world lost a bright light whose fiery passion matched her signature red hair. Sue Ellen Allen was born on July 6th, 1945 in Port Arthur, Texas. She had Southern lady charm, impeccable manners, wore pearls and red lipstick, and once you met her – you never forgot her. Her laugh was infectious and her sense of humor kept her sane. She loved her best friend Tom, her three cats, travel, languages (she spoke three) and was the kind of person who not only turned lemons into lemonade, but made sure everyone who was thirsty had some. She loved fiercely. And if you were lucky enough to be in her circle, you knew it.
Sue Ellen was a University of Texas grad, former educator, former business owner, and a former inmate at Arizona State Prison. She used to joke and say she was a “contradiction in terms.” It was her experience of being incarcerated and losing her young cellmate Gina that changed the course of her life in a profound way, and left a legacy of criminal justice reform advocacy in her wake.
She used to say “Being released from prison is like being shot out of a cannon into a brick wall naked.” Sue Ellen knew women in prison needed more education and programs so worked to make it happen. She authored the book Slumber Party from Hell about her incarceration experience, and after having written to President Obama regularly urging him to go visit a prison (he eventually did) she was a White House guest on more than one occasion, even joining First Lady Michelle Obama in her box at the State of the Union address in 2016. Her letter to President Obama was featured in Jeanne Marie Laska’ book, To Obama: With Love, Joy, Anger and Hope.
In 2016, Sue Ellen founded the nonprofit organization ReInventing ReEntry, whose mission is to educate and reshape our society’s perception
9B of former inmates so they may successfully reintegrate and be given a fair chance for employment, housing, education and entrepreneurial opportunities – without shame or stigma. The organization’s signature program was the ReEntry Simulation that took Sue Ellen all around the country to universities, corporations and State Houses to help build empathy for the barriers and struggles formerly incarcerated people face upon prison release in a bipartisan manner.
In 2018, she was a regular face at the Arizona State Capitol as she stood alongside Representative Athena Salman and others to bring awareness to the lack of dignity women in prisons face with the Dignity Act, and was the Arizona organizer for #cut50’s National Day of Empathy.
In 2019, Sue Ellen was invited back to the White House to celebrate and witness President Trump signing the First Step Act. She was also selected as a United State of Women (USOW) Ambassador for Arizona.
She quickly shape-shifted during COVID-19 times to create a “Zoominar” called The Skinny on Crime Punishment and Prison, where she’d have deep conversations about criminal justice reform. After suffering health setbacks, she continued to work with passion, grace and humor. She did her final interview from her hospice bed in December 2020.
Sue Ellen saw life as a grand adventure – from her youth until the very end. She was a master at adjusting and adapting to make the absolute best of every situation, and would often say the detours caused by unforeseen circumstances became the best adventures. She is preceded in death by her parents, Ruth Jene (Suy), Ardis Hyleman Allen and the love of her life and husband, David Grammer. She was adamant that her life be celebrated with laughter, beauty and service to others. She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her. May the legacy of her work be carried on as she watches over us…
Celebration of life details forthcoming.