Suzanne Mason Haff

Suzanne Mason Haff, a beloved mother, educator, and community leader devoted to literacy and social justice, passed away on July 26, 2025, in Durham, North Carolina, with her family by her side. She was 81.

Born in Newport News, Virginia, Suzanne grew up in a close-knit southern community that shaped both her independence and her deep sense of fairness. The adopted daughter of Clara and Eugene Mason, she lost her father at the age of eight, an early loss that instilled in her a sense of self-reliance and resilience. Never one to conform to the expectations of her community, she explored her neighborhood freely on her bicycle and thought nothing of knocking on a stranger’s door when she needed a glass of water. If no one was home, she would help herself, always with the courtesy of washing and drying the glass before she left.

After earning a degree in political science from Mary Washington College, her appetite for adventure – and a growing disillusionment with the societal inequalities she saw around her – fueled a decision to seek something new. She bought a 1965 Ford Mustang, adorned it with flower stickers, and drove west to California in search of a different life and culture.

Suzanne taught high school in San Diego for several years before returning to Virginia to earn her master’s degree in education at the University of Virginia. There she met her future husband, Peter Haff, who was completing his Ph.D. The two shared nearly 56 years of marriage marked by intellectual curiosity, deep mutual respect, and a shared belief in the power of learning.

Suzanne firmly believed the diversity of America was its strength, and that education was not a privilege but a right. Throughout her career, she dedicated herself to teaching literacy in underserved communities, including rural Appalachia, immigrants and refugees in Los Angeles, and inner-city Durham. She embodied her commitment to these ideals in all aspects of her life, from education to her roles as a community leader and as a mother.

Beyond the classroom, Suzanne served on city planning boards and volunteered her time and energy towards improving her community. Her moral compass, shaped by early experiences witnessing de-segregation in the South, guided her towards a lifelong advocacy for fairness, compassion and justice.

Those who knew her remember her beaming radiant smile, her humor, and her ability to make anyone feel seen and heard. She was simultaneously loving and formidable: warm, opinionated, fiercely loyal, and endlessly generous with her time and attention. She gave far more than she took.

To her family, she was the foundation: loving, steady, wise and ever-present. Her ideals and sense of independence shaped her children from an early age, as did the deep well of love and security she provided throughout their lives. She instilled integrity, kindness, and resilience not through words but through example – inspiring those around her to live authentically and to care deeply. Her presence filled those she loved with a feeling of safety, acceptance, and unwavering support that will endure for the rest of their lives.

Suzanne is survived by her daughter Tonya Mason Haff and son-in-law Rob Matthew Lanfear; her son Jesse Kirkland Haff and daughter-in-law Paola Maria Bailey; and her grandchildren Farley Leaf Lanfear and Nyah Skye Lanfear. She is also survived by her daughter Noël Ehlers; her sisters Vicky Ravenel and Kathy Gottberg; her sister-in-law Paula Mehring and brother-in-law Walter Mehring; her nephew Jonathan Mehring and his wife Heather Waraksa; and their son, Oliver Mehring. She is preceded in death by her husband, Peter Haff.