Bell ringing to commemorate 25th anniversary of the
March 2, 1998 disappearance of Ballston Spa teen
Suzanne Gloria Lyall vanished without a trace from
Albany college campus a quarter of a century ago

BY ANN HAUPRICH

As a poignant hometown tribute on the 25th anniversary of the date when a Ballston Spa teen vanished without a trace, the hefty bell inside the tower of an historic village landmark will toll 25 times commencing at 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 2.

In respectful remembrance of BSHS Class of 1996 honors graduate Suzanne Gloria Lyall, who was 19 at the time of her March 2, 1998 abduction from her SUNY/Albany campus, Mayor Frank S. Rossi II has issued a proclamation encouraging residents to observe a moment of silence as the bell is rung 25 times from atop the Civil War era red brick factory at the corner of Prospect Street and Milton Avenue.

The Center for HOPE (Healing Our Painful Emotions), a not-for-profit that was co-founded by Suzanne’s parents, Mary and Douglas Lyall in the aftermath of her abduction, is situated within the Civil War era complex where the commemorative bell ringing will transpire. Advocacy, education and prevention are cornerstones of the organization which has earned a stellar reputation across the nation as a beacon and a life raft for those struggling to cope with the unexplained disappearance of a loved one.

“Doug and I chose the acronym HOPE for our organization because families and friends of missing persons typically experience intense emotions ranging from shock and disbelief to sadness and grief to frustration, anger and rage – a rage that wants justice. Often the most devastating emotion of all – despair – enters the scenario,” said Mrs. Lyall. “Keeping hope alive is so important.”

To this end, The Center for HOPE established the annual New York State Missing Persons Day and the Missing Persons Remembrance, an exquisite monument with an eternal flame on the grounds of the NYS Museum in Albany, that combine to provide families and friends of missing persons with support and opportunities for remembrance. The 2023 NYS Missing Persons Day will take place Saturday, April 15.

Suzanne’s parents and Center for HOPE volunteers additionally helped to lay the groundwork for the NYS Campus Safety Act (now federal legislation called Suzanne Lyall’s Campus Safety Law) and a second piece of federal legislation titled Suzanne’s Law which boosted the age for those protected by The Center for Missing and Exploited Children from 18 to 21 and spearheaded efforts to introduce the Missing Persons Alert System through the NYS Thruway as well as having decks of Cold Case playing cards produced for circulation among inmates in county jails and Coasters for HOPE distributed for use in restaurants and bars.

Mrs. Lyall, who was widowed in 2015, is “grateful and honored” that Mayor Rossi has additionally proclaimed March 2 Suzanne Gloria Lyall Remembrance Day. Suzanne’s mother also expressed “heartfelt appreciation” to Michael DeFilippo and Bob Clous who have valiantly volunteered to venture up to the tower as dusk nears on March 2 so that the sound of the bell symbolically marking each of the 25 years that have passed since Suzanne vanished might resonate far and wide.

“Mary Lyall is a symbol of resilience in my eyes. She has lived through the unimaginable. Mary has never lost hope and continues to be the change she wishes to see in the world despite having lived through so much. Mary has always been great to me, my family, and our community. It’s an honor for Bob and me to be part of such a genuine experience in a very unique way,” said DeFilippo, adding that as the bell rings, it will metaphorically convey the message “that hope lives on.” (Kindly scroll down to read a sidebar tribute to the bell ringers and to see a photo of them preparing the artifact for the March 2 event.)

To learn more about The Center for HOPE, please visit www.hope4themissing.org, email hope4themissing@yahoo.com or call 518.884.8761.

Historic bell testers confirm long silent relic
remains capable of ringing message of hope

BY ANN HAUPRICH

Although Michael DeFilippo and Bob Clous cannot leap tall buildings in a single bound, the dynamic duo literally and figuratively rose to new heights when they ventured up to a frigid bell tower in early February to test whether the long silent relic inside still has what it takes to ding and dong with distinction.

As the accompanying thumbs up photo (which was taken by DeFilippo on the test date using a self-timer) clearly shows, the historic artifact’s massive bowl, clapper, toller and other antique parts rose to the occasion. He and Clous are thus confident the bell will generate a message of remembrance and hope far and wide as it is rung 25 times on March 2, 2023 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the March 2, 1998 disappearance of Ballston Spa teenager Suzanne Gloria Lyall. (Kindly see related feature above.)

It is noteworthy that when Civil War era “Paper Bag King” George West and later world renowned chocolate maker Frederick Bischoff reigned supreme at the red brick factory complex in the village’s north end, residents immediately recognized the distinctive sounds that resonated from the majestic bell tower. The familiar and frequent bell tolling became but a distant memory, however, after cocoa and sugar shortages contributed to the factory’s closure shortly after World War Two.

It reportedly wasn’t until the first anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on our nation that Michael L. Noonan, who then operated a photography studio in the meticulously restored factory (see How sweet it was – and still is – at The NEW Old Chocolate Factory – Ballston Spa Living) sought permission to ring the bell as a symbol of patriotism, remembrance and unity. “It’s a way to pay homage to those who lost their lives that day,” reflected Noonan, who also made sure the bell tolled on some subsequent 9/11 anniversaries.

DeFilippo is not certain when the last such commemorative ringing took place, but said he was honored when a member of the community inquired about whether it might be possible for the old bell to toll 25 times on the 25th anniversary of the disappearance of the teen for whom an all inclusive playground in the Town of Milton was named about a decade ago. “I often take my little nephew (whose father passed away in 2021) there to play and think of Suzanne and her family every time I’m there,” mused DeFilippo.

“Mary Lyall is a symbol of resilience in my eyes. She has lived through the unimaginable. Mary has never lost hope and continues to be the change she wishes to see in the world despite having lived through so much. Mary has always been great to me, my family, and our community. It’s an honor for Bob and me to be part of such a genuine experience in a very unique way,” said DeFilippo, whose professional duties include being at the helm at JJ’s Snack Bar as well as Assistant Manager at The Factory Eatery & Spirits, the owner of Ballston Spa Rentals LLC, and also a Special Adjunct of Outdoor Education at SUNY Adirondack and a certified instructor on behalf of SOLO, teaching WFA/CPR and Stop The Bleed. Bob Clous, meanwhile, in addition to being Director of Facility Maintenance at The Factory, is an avid outdoorsman with a keen interest in history. The pair’s impressive combined skill sets will surely ensure that the commemorative bell ringing on March 2 will resonate in hearts and minds long into the future.

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The video footage below is from a 2013 breakfast interview with Doug and Mary Lyall (Suzanne’s parents) conducted by Ann Hauprich of Legacies Unlimited and Ballston Spa Living. At that time, Suzanne had been missing for 15 years. Also, you may CLICK HERE to read a PDF of The Center for HOPE feature that appeared in the book, Ballston Spa REIMAGINED: Slices of village life at the dawn of the 2020s.