SUSAN EILEEN JONES Susan's life-long passion was early childhood education. This energized her throughout her life, as a student, teacher, mother, planner, foundation officer, and consultant. She died on January 25, 2016 following a long illness. She was 68. The youngest of three children, Susan grew up in Omaha, Nebraska. She received a Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education in 1969 from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where she met her husband, Michael, to whom she was married for more than 40 years. While an undergraduate, Susan insisted on doing her student teaching in Chicago despite being told that student teachers were not sent to Chicago schools. After graduation she taught first grade in a Chicago inner city school. While teaching, she obtained a Masters in Education in Inner City Studies from Northeastern University. She later taught in public schools in Highland Park, New Jersey until the birth of her daughter, Amanda. After moving to Hawaii in 1976, Susan organized a playgroup for children in the condominium development and served as a director and in various offices in the condominium board of directors. After her son, Ethan, was born, she held various teaching positions in public and private schools in Hawaii. In 1989, she received a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning with a focus on early childhood education from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Susan then worked as a senior planner at Homeless Aloha doing analyses and writing proposals to address homelessness. She later worked for more than a decade as the program officer for education at the Hawaii Community Foundation. This job involved writing and reviewing proposals and helping public and private agencies develop proposals and plans to support and improve education. Susan's commitment to improving educational opportunities for children was also evident in her numerous volunteer efforts. She helped found the Good Beginnings Alliance--now known as the Hawaii Children's Action Network--which coordinates statewide efforts on early care and education. The Hawaii State Senate recognized her for these efforts in July 2002. Another enduring interest was education for girls and improving the status of women in general. This interest led her to help start the Hawaii Women's Fund while at the Community Foundation. She also found time to volunteer with the Parent Participation Nursery School, Girl Scouts, Ahuimanu Elementary School, and the Hawaii Intergenerational Network. Among those who will miss Susan are her spouse Michael and daughter Amanda of Kaneohe, son Ethan of Sacramento, sister Elizabeth Trotter of Ohio, and many extended family and friends. Susan was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur and Eileen Post and her brother, John Post. A memorial service will be held on February 20 at 2 P.M. at the Valley of the Temples chapel in Kaneohe. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Hawaii Children's Action Network or the Women's Fund of Hawaii.
Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased
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