Suzanne Hadley Reilly

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Suzanne Reilly Obituary

Suzanne Hadley Reilly
08/14/2024
Suzanne Hadley Reilly of Hamden, CT, left this earth on August 14th, and returned to her home planet, on the space craft that brought her here.
Raised by (and daughter of) William Hadley and Helen Coleman, sister to beloved Mary Ellen DiLauro, John Hadley and Joanne Custer, wife to Raymond Peter Reilly; she is survived by her sisters, her three sons, Thomas, Michael and Paul Reilly, her daughter-in-law, Vanessa, grandsons, Daniel and Joshua Reilly, and son-in-law, Bastian.
Born in 1941 and raised in Cheshire, CT, Suzanne excelled at the social aspects of academics and was an accomplished horse rider. While working at Nationwide Insurance, she married and moved to Hamden. Suzanne was widowed in 1987, when her husband died of a heart attack while playing hockey; the love of her life, she never re-married. Standing 6 feet tall (in her imagination) with a curled tongue and broomstick in her hand, she ruled her small corner of this planet with a vigor that masked her soft heart. A voracious reader of unnamed publications, Suzanne had a tantalizing position on every topic, always backed up by, "I read somewhere".
Suzanne took great pleasure in eating dessert, ordering takeout from Sergio's, sharing her meals with dogs and spoiling any children that weren't her own. She cared for all the kids in the neighborhood, all of the elderly neighbors and relatives, and babysat the next generations as much as possible. In later life, she took to traveling the world with her adult children and her best friends, Mary Ellen and Vincent DiLauro.
Following Suzanne's wishes, there will be no Wake or funeral, but the family will host a small party for those closest to her. Donations to honor Sue's legacy can be made to: The American Red Cross or your local animal shelter.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The New Haven Register on Aug. 17, 2024.

Memories and Condolences
for Suzanne Reilly

Sponsored by NHRegister.com.

9 Entries

Bill and Doreen Breen

August 11, 2025

It's hard to believe a year has passed already since we lost Sue. We will forever remember her smile and her bubbly personality. She was always up for a lively conversation.

Cortnie wiggins

October 20, 2024

I'm just reading this months later, sorry for your mothers passing. I worked with your mother at Staples in Cheshire, we shared laughs, many meals-drinks and visits with the dogs. She was like no one I've ever met she enjoyed life to the fullest. she will be missed.

Christopher Reilly

Planted Trees

Erin Smith

September 4, 2024

Dear Tom, Mike, and Paul,
I am so very sorry about your mom´s passing. Your mom, my Aunt Sue was someone who always took the time to talk and catch up whenever the Reilly family got together. She genuinely was interested and would always ask questions.
I also appreciated all of the family history that she passed on about Captain Ellis.
I have fond memories of hanging out as kids, playing tag in the basement of the apartments.
Please let us know if there is a service for her.
My deepest sympathies,
Erin

Eileen Sullivan Donadio

August 22, 2024

As a former Nationwider from the early days with her on Skiff Street in Hamden, Suzanne always greeted everyone with a smile. For a time it was a competition of who she loved more, Ray, or her horses. I believe the photo of her accompanying this obituary was one that graced the cover of our Nationwide corporate magazine in the 60's! Sorry for the loss to all who knew her and loved her!

Stella Marone

August 19, 2024

Dear Thomas Michael and Paul
I am heartbroken. Sue was a treasure and I will never forget her. She was one of the first people to walk through our doors at Sergio´s back in the day. She became part of our family. She got to know each and every one of us and would ALWAYS have a story to tell to one of us about something she had heard or read. I would yell Susie Q!!! when she walked in the door with a big smile and hoping she had a good story to tell which she always did. When I started to have a family and as each kid was born there would be a dollar to be given to that child. Eventually I had 3 so I hated to take the money from her each time but she wanted nothing to do with my argument. "This is for the kiddos" she would say. And I would set it aside. There will never be another Sue Reilly for me. I will treasure her memory always and you boys were blessed to have her. May she Rest in Peace with her angels in heaven. Love, Stella Marone at Sergio´s Pizza xoxoxo

Kevin Reilly

August 18, 2024

I would like to extend my deepest condolences to Tom, Mike, and Paul and the Hadley family of the passing of my Aunt Sue.
I have very fond memories of Aunt Sue over the many years she was apart of the extended Reilly family, starting with my very first experience seeing her at the Dairy Queen in Cheshire during the summer of 1968 and me asking her sheepishly "are you my Aunt Sue?" (I was 8 at the time) and she never let me forget that moment whenever we got together at a Reilly family gathering. Now more than ever, I think warmly of that time & place - for there will never be another time when we get together to relive that sweet memory (sigh...).
The last time I saw Aunt Sue was at my father´s memorial service in Hamden in January 2019 and she took a moment to remind me of our ancestry and the work Uncle Ray & her did researching our family past with the Revolution War and how I should join the "Son´s of the American Revolution." I can think of no better way to honor her memory, than to finally join the S.A.R.
Thank you Aunt Sue for all the lovely memories we had together and I will surely miss you now & forever...

Greg and Sulie Greendale Paveza

August 17, 2024

Sue was our neighbor and friend the 9 years we lived across the street. We shared our love for Shetland sheepdog, flowers and nature. May she rest in peace. My condolences to her very loved sons and grandchildren.

Doreen and Bill Breen

August 17, 2024

Sue's passing saddens us deeply. We have so many fond memories of all of those 3rd of July gatherings at Vinny and Mary Ellen's on the West Haven shoreline. She was always so friendly and eager to engage in conversations of all kinds. She was the only female in a male dominated household, but she ruled the roost. Her husband Ray was always part of the fireworks committee down on the seawall on the end of Baldwin Street and did a spectacular job wowing the crowd. Sue's first born, Tom, and our first born, Stacey, were about 3 months old when our yearly friends and family gatherings began at Mary Ellen's. Lots of fond memories of Sue and her family. She will be missed by many.

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