In February 2016, friends and family celebrated the life of Susan Eileen Jones. Susan was a mother, wife, educator and early childhood education expert, and she cared passionately about families and child development. She was, as well, an advocate for women and girls and a dedicated supporter of Women’s Fund of Hawaii.
Susan earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, a Master’s in Education, and a Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning, with a focus on early childhood education. She joined Hawaii Community Foundation (HCF) in 1991, where she worked in early childhood and had grant making responsibility for some private foundations making grants in education. After leaving HCF, Susan volunteered on Women’s Fund of Hawaii’s grant making committee, providing valuable feedback and ideas on how to affect positive change for Hawaii’s women and girls. She also advocated for many smaller organizations that were doing important work for women and girls in the state.
In 1997, Susan co-founded The Good Beginnings Alliance (GBA), which we know today as the Hawaii Children’s Action Network. She had an impressive ability to analyze systems and systems reform. This gift, along with her caring, intellect and skill, were put to good use at GBA. There Susan helped create successful partnerships that touched children across all of Hawaii.
Just this September, Susan Eileen Jones was awarded the Dinell Award for the Urban & Regional Planning Outstanding Alumni at the University of Hawaii, Manoa. This was the first time the award had been awarded posthumously, and Susan’s husband of more than 40 years, Michael, and her children, Amanda and Ethan, were present at the ceremony. Amanda accepted the award on her mother’s behalf.
Women’s Fund of Hawaii was humbled and honored to be designated by her family one of the organizations (along with Hawaii Children’s Action Network) to receive donations in Susan’s memory.