Susan Unthank, Founder of AbsolutelyGospel.com, Passes Away

SGN Scoops offers our prayers up for the entire Unthank family. Susan’s legacy has always been an inspiration to us and her friendship was treasured.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – (January 5, 2011) – Susan Unthank, founder and Editor-In-Chief of AbsolutelyGospel.com (formerly SoGospelNews.com) and husband of Deon Unthank (Sunday Edition), passed peacefully into the arms of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ this morning, January 5, 2011 at approximately 6:30 a.m. CST.

Deon Unthank said, “Our hearts are breaking now more than any other time in our lives. Susan was my wife, confidant, mother of our children, and my best-friend for the last 33 years. She was the back-bone of our family and the site. Susan put more time and energy over the course of the last 15 years in SGN than most people put in in their life. She lived and breathed Southern Gospel for the past 15 years. While our family grieves the loss of this very important member of our family, surely the industry must mourn the loss of one of its most prized possessions.”

Susan was born on November 23, 1955 in Belleville, IL. She and her husband, Deon, founded SoGospelNews.com (now known as AbsolutelyGospel.com) in the mid-90s, and the site quickly became the most read e-zine on the web devoted to Southern Gospel music, its artists, and its fans. The family currently resides in Murfreesboro, TN where they have ran the site for the last 10 years.

Susan is survived by her husband of 33 years Charles Deon Unthank whom she started and raised a blended family with. Their family included three sons, Aaron (Tia) Unthank of Jacksonville, FL, Scott Bandy and Christopher Unthank of Murfreesboro, TN and two daughters, Leslie Hill of Branson, MO and Amy Marie Unthank of Murfreesboro, TN. Susan had five grandchildren, Eli and Anna Cate Unthank and Donovan, Ashlee, and Emma Hill.

There will be no funeral or visitation for Susan. Rather, the family will host a Memorial Service in her honor. Details of the Memorial Service will be announced later.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to help with medical and burial costs via SoGospelNews.com (AbsolutelyGospel.com). Donations may be mailed to the following:

Unthank Family
SoGospelNews.com
220 Indian Park Dr #3702
Murfreesboro, TN 37128

Or, you can visit the following link to make a donation online:

http://absolutelygospel.com/index/community/support/