East Aurora Advertiser

Tales of Old Elma: Sue Howe Blazak: Elma’s Own Betsy Ross



This tale is about one Elma resident who did many things, touched many lives, and launched a crusade on an issue in which she had strong beliefs. This tale is about Sue Howe Blazak, a.k.a. Betsy Ross. Most who knew her called her “Sue” so we’ll use that name here. 

Moving to Elma in the mid-1950s, Sue and her husband raised four daughters. Sue’s life story is documented elsewhere (with the Further Reading materials at www.ElmaNYHistory.com/Tales-Of-Old-Elma), so we’ll refrain by repeating all that. Simply put, Sue was an active member of many religious and civic organizations, including the Elma Historical Society where she volunteered as Sunshine Trustee. 

When you read about Sue you find there were two topics in which she was passionate: religion and the American flag. Sue worked in the Iroquois School System, and decided to do more for the younger students with respect to teaching them about our country’s history, especially the American Flag. So, she sewed a costume, and then visited classrooms portraying Revolutionary War hero Betsy Ross. Her respect for the flag also extended to initiating an annual Patriotic Flag Ceremony in Elma to provide a venue for the respectful disposal of worn-out American flags. 

On October 28, 1992, The Buffalo News featured this photograph of Sue Howe Blazak taken during a portrayal of Betsy Ross for second grade students at Wales Elementary School, stating: “The member of the Abigail Fillmore Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution offered a venerable lesson on patriotism, as embodied in the American flag, and civic duty, as in voting.” This was the week before the presidential election.
Courtesy of The Buffalo News (by Richard W. Roeller)

In May, 2001 Anthony Amabile II (a former student in the Iroquois Schools) wrote an essay about Sue after interviewing her. When recently contacted, Anthony stated that Sue instilled a respect for the American flag which has not waned since Sue first portrayed Betsy Ross for his class, a presentation he described as enthusiastic. Anthony is now thirty and a student at D’Youville studying chiropractic medicine.

In the mid-1970s a renowned atheist, Madalyn Murray O’Hair, threatened legal action to remove the motto “In God We Trust” from American paper money and coins, a motto which had been enacted in July of 1954 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Sue decided to act upon her strong religious beliefs by organizing a crusade against that pending legal battle. Her crusade involved writing letters to local and regional newspapers, collecting 112,000 petition signatures, and involving local U.S. Representative Jack Kemp (a Buffalo Bills quarterback back in the 1960s). 

On Oct. 31, 1977 during the 95th Congress, local Kemp and Henry Nowak introduced Resolution H.833 to the U.S. House of Representatives: “A resolution to reaffirm the use of our national motto on currency.” It was referred to the House Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs. A photo of Sue holding a copy of Resolution H.883 with Jack Kemp is shown. 

In April, 1978 a U.S. District Court in Austin Texas dismissed a lawsuit (O’Hair vs. Blumenthal) which challenged the “In God We Trust” motto on U.S. currency. The lawsuit was filed by Madalyn Murray O’Hair, founder of the National Atheist Center in San Antonio, and someone who was given the title of “The Most Hated Woman in America.” In 2017 Netflix released a movie with that title starring Peter Fonda. As that lawsuit was dismissed the “In God We Trust” motto remains to this day on American paper money and coins.

A 1977 photo of Sue Howe Blazak with U.S. Representative Jack Kemp holding a copy of Resolution H.833, inscribed: “Sue, Thanks to you America and her values will never be neglected.”
From the Research Library of the Elma Historical Society

There are many who say our time in this world is short so make the most of it. Sue did just that by touching many lives as well as by crusading for issues dear to her beliefs. Her legacy is having left the world a better and more knowledgeable place. The Elma Historical Society is honoring Sue Howe Blazak with a display in the Historical Building at the 2021 Erie County Fair. 

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The Elma Museum Complex (including the Research Library for genealogy studies) is open every Thursday from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.; on the first and third Sunday of the month from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. from May-September; and by appointment. Visit www.ElmaNYHistory.com for more information. 

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