Susan D. Hadley

1934 - 2023

Susan D. Hadley
September 9, 1934 - June 18, 2023
Raleigh, North Carolina - Susan Dunmire Hadley, 88, of Raleigh, NC passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 18, 2023, surrounded by her family.
She was born in Punxsutawney, PA on September 9, 1934, the daughter of Daniel E. Dunmire, Jr. and Kathleen Lenore Burgun Dunmire. Sue graduated from Penn State, where she met her loving husband, Tom. She taught English for eight years in Kennett Square and Upper Marion, Pennsylvania.
Together, Tom & Sue raised their busy and joyful family in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and finally North Carolina during their lifelong marriage, one month shy of 59 years.
In addition to her parents, Sue was preceded in death by her brothers, Harry Burgun Dunmire and Daniel Edward Dunmire III. She is survived by her sister, Sally Buckey (Tom); cousin, Zara (Russ); and many nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her children, Mary Hadley Orzech (Steve) of Middlebury, VT; Mark Hadley (Cheryl) of Cary, NC; Sally Cline (Jim) of Raleigh, NC; and Kathleen Seifert (Wes) of Cary, NC.
Sue imparted to her children and grandchildren a love of the natural world, as well as a true appreciation for dance, art, music, and the rich cultural experience of travel and adventure. Passionate about the written word, she enthusiastically enjoyed books and book clubs, reading to and with those she loved, especially her grandkids. Her book collection spread throughout the house and rivaled a small library, where you could always find an unexpected gem.
When her children were school-aged, Sue volunteered in countless activities including Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Religious Education. In later years, she volunteered with Dorothea Dix Volunteer Service Guild, the North Carolina Museum of Art and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). She was especially proud to assist families living with mental illness by teaching the NAMI Family to Family education course.
She lived a full and busy life, traveling to many wonderful places, but her most treasured excursions were wading in the creek, playing on the floor, escaping into a good book, cheering at sporting events and school activities, and spending summers at the beach, all of which she enjoyed doing most with her children and grandchildren.
She will be dearly missed by Erich, Justin, Mary Hope, Peter, Jarrod, Dara, Hadley, Jamey, Dorothy, Sam, Harris, and Michael, who understood that Grandma Sue's spirit and love of adventure were ageless, and that their accomplishments were among her greatest joys.
Sue was fierce before women were encouraged to be so, boldly opinionated, generous, and caring. In her later years with Parkinson's Disease, she embraced her significant challenges, determined to enjoy life, stay active, and celebrate each day, especially with her family.
A celebration of life will take place on June 28, 2023, at 1:00 pm at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Raleigh, where Tom & Sue were founding members. Interment in the columbarium there will follow the funeral mass. Reception immediately following at Chelsea cul-de-sac. The Funeral will be livestreamed at https://boxcast.tv/view/funeral-liturgy-for-susan-hadley-bk713xzq8t0qpml8huj6
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Sue's memory to these organizations:
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, PO Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI Wake County) PO Box 12562, Raleigh, NC 27605
Alzheimer's Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601 - or donate locally at 2023 Walk to End Alzheimer's - Triangle (Raleigh-Durham), NC: Wes Seifert | Walk to End Alzheimer's. Condolences:RFHR.com