HAUNTED PARKERSBURG
established: 1996
Susan Sheppard's
Susan Sheppard Bio
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Susan Sheppard was a life-long paranormal investigator, researcher and psychic experiencer. Her humble West Virginia childhood was marked by a wide range of unusual experiences. Susan grew up near one of the first Mothman sightings and one of the first known encounters with the Men in Black. Her grandmother was a psychic medium and her favorite aunt was a practicing spiritualist who taught her the art of the seance and other spiritual traditions. Susan's first encounters with spirits were when she was only four years old. She remained true to her interests in the unknown her entire life.
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Susan was also a well-known psychic medium, a self-taught astrologer, a talented artist, and widely published poet. Her areas of expertise included ghosts and hauntings, non-human spirits, fairies and fairy lore, astrology charts and forecasts, psychic dimensions, cryptozoology, Indrid Cold, Men in Black, Mothman, past lives and reincarnation, tarot and cartomancy, Appalachian folklore, remote viewing, divine magick, astral travel, Wicca & Witchcraft, ancient origins, creative writing in various genres, DNA studies, Native Americans, tribal wisdom and spiritual growth. Susan was deeply proud of her Delaware-Shawnee Native American ancestry as well as her Irish, French and Swedish lineage.
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Susan moved to Parkersburg at age 19, initially living on Ann Street in the Julia-Ann Historic District. This sparked her fascination for the city and her commitment to preserving its history in any way she could. She walked the cobblestone streets with a notepad, writing down addresses which she would then bring with her to the Wood County Library's local history section and conduct research. Years later, after going on a paranormal walking tour in New Orleans with her husband and young daughter, Susan was struck with the idea of creating a tour for Parkersburg. She founded Haunted Parkersburg in 1996 based on the local research she had been collecting for almost 20 years. Those who were lucky enough to witness her lead the tours found her to be a masterful storyteller with a deep knowledge of the supernatural.
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In addition to creating Haunted Parkersburg, Susan founded the Sacred Way Astrologers and Spirituality organization and the Sacred Way Poetry Group. One of her first writing jobs was as an astrologer for Seventeen Magazine in the 1980's. She is also a founding member of West Virginia Writers, Inc. Susan was a staple on WTAP's morning show "Daybreak" for many years taking calls from viewers and giving live horoscopes. Soon, she began gaining notoriety beyond West Virginia. Susan appeared on national television multiple times, lending her supernatural expertise. She appeared on Scariest Places on Earth, Mysteries at the Museum, Creepy Canada, Destination America, Mysteries and Monsters, Mystery Hunters, the Travel Channel, ABC Family, and in documentary "Eyes of the Mothman." She also made many radio and podcast appearances, including: Beyond the Paranormal, Fox Radio Roanoke VA, Internet Talk Radio with Tarah Sutphen, Divine Truth Revolution Radio, and the Poet and the Poem. In 2014, Susan wrote and produced White Zombie; an elaborate horror feature. This was her first and only venture in screenwriting, but Susan had other screenplays in the works at the time of her passing.
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Despite her long resumé of accomplishments, Susan struggled with health issues since her teen years; most of which went undiagnosed and untreated. More often than not, Susan was profoundly fatigued and suffered from chronic pain. What little energy Susan had, she devoted entirely to others and to her work. She was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer of unknown cause in late 2020. Susan passed away on April 19th 2021 after a courageous battle. She was memorialized with a Day of The Dead inspired march along the Haunted Parkersburg Tour route. Over 150 people attended, played music, read poetry and honored Susan's contributions to Parkersburg, to West Virginia and to the thousands of lives she touched. Watch local news coverage of her memorial parade here: https://www.wtap.com/2021/04/26/iconic-parkersburg-supernatural-expert-honored-in-costume-parade/
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Susan's unique point of view lives on via her writing, her artwork and the Haunted Parkersburg Tours. But her legacy is most deeply felt by those who loved her. She was a beacon for Mid Ohio Valley locals who felt different, unaccepted or misunderstood. In Susan's presence, you were seen and celebrated for the things that made you feel othered. We hope to continue Susan's legacy by maintaining Haunted Parkersburg and, soon, unveiling
more exciting plans to memorialize her. Susan's full obituary can be found here: https://www.newsandsentinel.com/obituaries/2021/04/susan-sheppard/
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