She was a longtime community leader who served for decades as a commissioner, first representing the city of Hollywood and then Broward County.
Suzanne “Sue” Gunzburger died Sunday, her family said. She was 86.
Her legacy of public service included serving 10 years on the Hollywood City Commission and 22 years on the County Commission. Along the way, Gunzburger developed a reputation for persistent advocacy on behalf of community members.
“She took her own lived experiences out in the community as a volunteer and she turned them into a source of power, by not only advocating for justice but taking the mantle of leadership herself,” recalled County Commissioner Nan Rich, Gunzburger’s longtime friend and colleague.
Gunzburger was born Suzanne Nathan in Buffalo, New York, on July 12, 1939.
She spent most of her childhood in New Jersey and Michigan before attending Wayne State University, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in education.
Gunzburger worked as a schoolteacher in Detroit before relocating to South Florida with her family in 1967, settling permanently in Hollywood the following year.
She received her master’s degree in clinical social work from Barry University and served as a family counselor before entering politics.
Gunzburger took her first steps into activism in the mid-1970s, spurred on by the fight for the Equal Rights Amendment and other feminist causes.
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Broward County Commissioner Sue Gunzburger, and her son, Ron Gunzburger, who helped get Sheriff Scott Israel elected and then was hired to be BSO general counsel. (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Lou Toman / Sun Sentinel
Broward County Commissioner Sue Gunzburger check over 6.000 pounds of food collected in a food drive in august. Food box where placed in all county facilities, the food drive was called Hunger Doesn’t Take A Vacation. the food was collected for the Cooperative Feeding Program on W. Broward Blvd. (Lou Toman/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
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Sue Gunzburger, right, receives a hug from one of her supporters during her election night party at the Hillcrest Golf and Country Club in Hollywood. Gunzburger, an incumbent, is running against Steve Geller for her county commission seat. (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Jacqueline Lydie Kazil / Sun Sentinel
Opposed to the plan, Broward County Commissioner of district 6, Sue Gunzburger, cited the inability for Hallandale to handle increased traffic during peak and non-peak hours. The plan that was up for vote would add office space, shopping, a casino, and housing around Gulfstream Park horsetrack. Concerns presented during the commissioner meeting included traffic, economics, and the ability to handle the increased sewage. (Jacqueline Lydie Kazil/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
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Sue Gunzburger, right, receives a hug from county commission aids, Nancy Fear, left, and Dee Platt, right during her election night party at the Hillcrest Golf and Country Club in Hollywood. Gunzburger, an incumbent, is running against Steve Geller for her county commission seat. (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
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Sue Gunzburger, right, receives a hug from county commission aids, Nancy Fear, left, and Dee Platt, right during her election night party at the Hillcrest Golf and Country Club in Hollywood. Gunzburger, an incumbent, is running against Steve Geller for her county commission seat. (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
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Sue Gunzburger (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Julio Cortez / Sun Sentinel
Catalina Avalos shakes hands with Broward County Commissioner for District 6 Sue Gunzburger after Avalos was honored by the Broward County Commissioners at its meeting on Oct. 11. Avalos will take the seat as a judge in Broward County and was appointed by Governor Jeb Bush. Avalos starts on Nov. 1 and will be the first Colombian-born judge in the United States. (Julio Cortez/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Ron Gunzburger / Sun Sentinel
Sue Gunzburger, County Commissioner/candidate District 6. 2010. (Ron Gunzburger/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Lilly Echeverria / Courtesy / Sun Sentinel
From Left to Right: Kobi Karp, Architect Lorris Boulanger, Builder Diego Besga, Partner Alex Nahabetian, Partner Christian Finkelberg, Partner Kevin D. Biederman, Commissioner of Hollywood District 5 Sue Gunzburger, Commissioner of Broward County District 6 Peter D. Hernandez, Commissioner Hollywood District 2 (H3 District) Patricia Asseff, Commissioner of Hollywood Walter Fortuna, Fortuna Realty Daniel Guerra, Fortuna Realty. (Lilly Echeverria/Courtesy)
CARL SEIBERT / Sun Sentinel
Overseas ballots counted The Broward Canvassing board opens ballots received from absentee voters living overseas as Broward’s recount goes on at the county Emergency Operating Center in Plantation. L/R Sue Gunzburger, Judge Robert Lee, Supervisor of elections Jane Carroll. (Carl Seibert/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Taimy Alvarez / Sun Sentinel
Broward County (right) Dale V.C. Holness speaks as Commissioner Sue Gunzburger and others listen during Tuesday’s County Commission meeting in Fort Lauderdale. Broward discusses whether to crack down on tow truck drivers with new laws. (Taimy Alvarez/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
URSULA E. SEEMANN / Sun Sentinel
About 80 children at the Gunzburger Washington Park Child Daycare Center in Hollywood. Volunteers from Motorola who had painted the classrooms with donated supplies from Lowe’s also donated lunch. Photo shows visiting county commissioner Sue Gunzburger, who was instrumental creating the child care center when she was a Hollywood city commissioner, talking to the kids while Anneniola Cesar,5, (r) is eating her free lunch of chicken nuggets, apple sauce and macaroni with cheese. Ursula E. Seemann/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Susan Stocker / Sun Sentinel
Broward County Commissioners Lois Wexler, Sue Gunzburger, Ilene Lieberman, John Rodstrom, Stacy Ritter, Barbara Sharief, Kristin Jacobs, Dale Holness and Chip LaMarca break ground for the new 20-story, 741,000 sq. ft. Broward County Courthouse. The $213 million project is scheduled for completion in 2015. (Susan Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Michael Laughlin / Sun Sentinel
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler and Commissioner Sue Gunzburger put on their hard hats before participating in the ground breaking ceremonies for the expansion of the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Thursday, September 20, 2012. (Michael Laughlin/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Michael Laughlin / Sun Sentinel
Marti Huizenga, from left to right, Gregory Durden, John Milledge, Jack Seiler, Sue Gunzburger, Bernie Peck and Kelley Shanley participate in the ground breaking ceremonies for the expansion of the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Thursday, September 20, 2012. (Michael Laughlin/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
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Broward County Commissioner Sue Gunzburger, and her son, Ron Gunzburger, who helped get Sheriff Scott Israel elected and then was hired to be BSO general counsel. (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
She and Rich were both involved with volunteer work for the National Coalition of Jewish Women.
In short time, advocacy turned into a career in local politics. Gunzburger’s son, Ron Gunzburger, 62, described her as an “underdog” in the crowded 1982 race for a seat on the Hollywood City Commission, where she prevailed with grassroots support.
Gunzburger left city government for a seat on the County Commission in 1992.
As a public official, she fought for initiatives supporting children, the environment, social justice, the arts, and ethics in government, among other issues.
Her proudest accomplishments included protecting parts of Hollywood Beach from high-rise development, helping create the County Commission’s ethics code and Children’s Services Council, and spearheading county commissioners’ switch from at-large representation to district-based seating, according to her son.
“She was not your typical politician. She, at her heart, was still the old-school teacher she started as,” Ron Gunzburger said. “Her actions made a lot of people’s lives better in a concrete way.”
In 2014, Gunzburger retired as a commissioner. She remained active in community life until her death, serving on the boards of Temple Beth El, the Hollywood Lakes Civic Association and other organizations.
Gerry, Gunzburger’s husband of 49 years, died in 2009.
She is survived by her brother, Larry Nathan, her children, Ron, Cindy, and Judy, and her three grandchildren.