ENTERPRISE – Wallowa County Commissioner Susan Roberts passed away the evening of July 30 surrounded by her family at Wallowa Memorial Hospital in Enterprise.
A long-time public servant, Roberts was first elected to the Wallowa County Board of Commissioners in 2008. In 2024, she was elected to her fifth term. Preceding her time on the Board of Commissioners, Roberts served as an Enterprise City council member and its mayor.
As commissioner, whether she was dealing with wolves, forest management, or wildfire, Roberts engaged with landowners, agencies and local organizations, finding solutions to the challenges of natural resource management. As co-chair of the Blue Mountains Intergovernmental Council, she represented the desired future condition of the Blue Mountain forests from the perspective of the people who live there.
Overseeing the county’s road department, Roberts secured funding to repair roads and bridges, many leading to the national forest. Because access to the national forest is critical to the people of Wallowa County, she worked closely with state and federal agencies to keep Wallowa County’s forest roads open and maintained.
Over the course of her long tenure in public service Roberts became well known throughout Oregon as a champion of rural communities. At home, she was known for her no-nonsense straight talk, her sense of humor, and her love for Wallowa County and its people.
Roberts’ legacy impacted both people and the landscape. She will be greatly missed.