Dr. Sally Ann (Tustison) Myers

Local historian and former city councilwoman Sally A. Myers, Ph.D., died Jan. 17, 2024, at her home. She was 82.

Born June 26, 1941 to Keith and Mary (Carey) Tustison, her family’s civic-mindedness inspired both Sally’s career and her lifelong passions for politics, music, and historic preservation. Her father co-founded the Northwesternaires barbershop chorus, and her mother the Defiance chapter of the Girl Scouts. Her grandfather published The Crescent-News for four decades.

Sally attended Slocum elementary and Defiance High School, graduating salutatorian in 1959. She attended Oberlin College for two years, ultimately graduating from Defiance College in 1963. On Aug. 18, 1963, she married Leonard G. Myers, Jr., her high-school sweetheart, who died in 2019.

Sally taught English at Defiance High School for several years, then took a brief professional break to raise her sons. But she gathered no moss. In the 1980s, she entered the American Studies program at Bowling Green State University, earning her Ph.D. in 1995. Her dissertation, “Women’s Literary Clubs as Arbiters of Culture, 1880-1918,” was inspired by “clubwomen” of her grandmother’s generation, whose influence could be exerted only through their choices of literature and the arts. It won the B.G.S.U. Local History Publication Award.

While pursuing her advanced degrees, Sally also taught English at local high schools, and later at Defiance College and Ohio Northern University.

Meanwhile, another interest was brewing: politics. Recognizing that she was among only the third generation of women to have the vote, Sally had a passion for women’s rights. She was a member of the Defiance League of Women Voters and the National Organization for Women, and she lobbied for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. In 1977 she was elected to represent the Third Ward-the third woman in history to serve on Defiance City Council. Many a smoky evening was spent at Democratic fish-fry fundraisers, and at election nights at Kissner’s.

After retiring, Sally remained active in civic and historic-preservation endeavors. She was a founding member of the Defiance Community Cultural Council and served as its president; she was also president of Historic Homes of Defiance from 2009-10. She almost single-handedly lobbied for the town clock to be installed at Triangle Park, and was lead author of the report that got the 1918 D.H.S. building listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Music was another of Sally’s lifelong passions. She took piano and organ lessons from a young age, and was organist at First Presbyterian Church for over two decades. At home, she often played Chopin and Schubert while dinner was in the oven. Her last public appearance was to hear her granddaughter Olivia sing in Messiah.

Dr. Myers is survived by her sons, Michael (Tina), of Defiance, and Christopher (Kyle), of San Francisco, Calif.; a sister, Mary Kathleen Tustison, of Westerville; and granddaughters Isabella and Olivia. She was preceded in death by her husband, Leonard; a sister, Dr. Judith Kovacs; and a granddaughter in infancy.

Visitation will be held Friday, April 19, from 2-5 and 7-9 PM at Schaffer Funeral Home, Defiance. A celebration of Sally’s life will commence at 11 AM on Saturday, April 20, at St. John United Church of Christ, 950 Webster St. Suggested memorials are to St. John U.C.C. or the Defiance Community Cultural Council.

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