Friday, April 19, 2024
CLOSE-KNIT: Several 1985 classmates of Susan Sledge work at her business, Sledge Distillery, with her. She describes her class as “close-knit.” Pictured left to right are: Pam Wiley Blackwell, Susan Satterwhite Sledge, DeAnna Moore Berry, Courtney Cheyne Cobbs.
PECAN QUEEN: Susan Sledge (Satterwhite) (middle) was named Granbury High School’s 1983 Pecan Queen as a junior. Also pictured are Laura Chisolm (left) and Crissie Molder (right).
TOP CHOIR STUDENT: Susan Sledge (Satterwhite) (middle) scored a “two” at the solo and ensemble choir contest in Austin in 1983. Also pictured are Willie Wheeler (left) and Mike Moore (right).
Thirty-six years have passed since Granbury resident Susan Sledge graduated from Granbury High School in 1985.
Now, to celebrate her 35th class reunion — a year later due to COVID-19 — she has been given the opportunity to host her reunion on Friday, Sept. 10 at Sledge Distillery, a business she has owned for close to three years.
“It's pretty cool because we have about a dozen employees that work for us that we went to high school with too,” she said. “They are our managers and people who do our tasting tables. We all went to high school together. When we created the company, my husband and I, we have other full-time jobs, so this is just something we do on the weekends. We just wanted to do it with people we really enjoy.”
Sledge and her husband Mark — who graduated from Granbury High School in 1983 — started Sledge Distillery after they found a recipe from Mark’s father in his World War II footlocker.
“We just thought it was fun when we found it and thought we would give it a try and see if it was any good. It turned out that it was really good,” Susan said. “Then, we just got the permits and opened the distillery a few years later.”
Sledge Distillery serves distilled spirits, flavored moonshine, whiskey and bourbon. It’s located at 8210 Paluxy Highway in Tolar.
In high school, Susan was involved in band, flag corps, choir and theater. She describes her class as “close-knit.”
“We stayed in touch all these years and we’ve had reunions every five years since we graduated,” she said.
Susan is excited to host her graduating class at her own business.
“The whole joy of owning a business for us is to be connected back to our community, and being able to contribute and employ people,” she added. “I love entrepreneurship, and just the connectedness you have with the product and community. Then, to be able to host my high school friends, it's really just an honor.”
