Everyone associated with the Center is saddened to learn of the recent death of Susan Dalton, former Film Archivist at WCFTR. Susan was a leading national figure in the field of moving image archiving and a key figure in establishing the WCFTR as a world-class resource.
Originally from Flushing, New York, Susan attended college at UW-Madison in the 1960s where she developed her interest in film. She became the WCFTR Film Archivist in 1969 and remained with the Center until 1980. During that time she was instrumental in developing a number of the Center’s major collections and policies, and Center patrons from that period remember her as a helpful and courteous resource on countless research questions.
After leaving Madison she remained active in moving images archiving, serving from 1987-97 as Director of Preservation Projects at the Center for Film and Video Preservation in Washington, DC. She was a founding member of the Association of Moving Image Archivists, and in 2012 the organization honored her with AMIA’s Silver Light Award in recognition of her career achievements.