USVI Congresswoman mourns passing of veteran Journalist Susan Ellis

The U.S. Virgin Islands media community is mourning the loss of veteran journalist Susan Ellis, whose decades of reporting helped chronicle life across the territory.

Stacey E. Plaskett, the territory’s delegate to the U.S. Congress, paid tribute to Ellis following her passing, describing her as a committed journalist and a respected voice in the community.

“The Virgin Islands has lost a tireless voice — one that told our stories with care, accuracy and a deep commitment to truth,” Plaskett said in a statement. “Susan Ellis was more than a reporter; she was a chronicler of our community.”

Ellis reported for the St. Croix Avis and later the Virgin Islands Source, where she covered legislative hearings, community events and issues affecting residents across the territory.

Plaskett said Ellis was known for her thorough reporting and her willingness to ask difficult questions in pursuit of accountability.

“I had the privilege of working alongside Susan in my capacity as Congresswoman for the Virgin Islands, and I always found her to be thorough, fair and deeply invested in the wellbeing of this territory,” Plaskett said. “She asked the hard questions because she believed the public deserved honest answers.”

Beyond her journalism, Ellis was also an advocate for several causes, including healthcare access — particularly mental health — as well as agriculture and animal welfare.

In a statement, the team at the Virgin Islands Source described Ellis as an activist, advocate and passionate storyteller who pursued the issues that mattered most to the community.

“She chased the stories that mattered, always guided by a strong sense of justice and an equally strong sense of compassion,” the publication said. “She didn’t just report the stories — she lived them.”

Colleagues also highlighted Ellis’s willingness to go beyond traditional reporting, including going undercover to expose animal fighting rings and immersing herself in community traditions while covering local culture.

The Virgin Islands Source said Ellis spent more than a decade with the newsroom and remained a pillar of the St. Croix community for many years.

Both Plaskett and her colleagues extended condolences to Ellis’s daughter, grandchildren and loved ones, noting that her legacy will continue through the stories she told and the voices she helped amplify throughout the territory.