UPDATE: Audio Recording of Testimonials from Mrs. Sue’s Memorial Service

Members of the Cary community gathered in Downtown Cary last Sunday at the site of the former library, to celebrate the life of Susan Frances Daniel (known by most as simply ‘Mrs. Sue’).

Mrs. Sue was one of Heartwood Montessori’s founders, our beloved school in the heart of Downtown Cary. Hundreds of families called Heartwood their home away from home, prior to the school closing its doors a few years ago. Beginning in 1991, Mrs. Sue and her partners, along with a superstar teaching staff, created a community.

A community of exploration.

A community that fostered an environment where children felt loved and appreciated.

Along with Mrs. Sue, the other original owners were Thelma Williams, Paige Person and Mary McKinney.

Mrs. McKinney was interviewed for our story, and she tells us about Sue:

Sue’s philosophy of teaching children was pure Montessori.  Take children where they are & follow them.  She believed that Montessori was a teaching method that could help all children.  She wanted her students to succeed.  She wanted teachers to have autonomy in the classroom.  She knew that each teacher has their own teaching style & wanted to let them create the classroom that reflected their creativity.  She wanted Heartwood to be a family where people were comfortable & felt welcome.  We had some teachers who stayed for almost our entire almost 30 year run.  We were a family.  

Following an emotional moment of silence, several people spoke to those gathered, about the legacy Mrs. Sue left behind. There were hearty laughs, and there were tears of sadness, as they each shared their stories.

McKinney also told us:

Sue loved horses (she had a few), dogs, cats, gardening & fishing.  And she loved her school.  She was pretty fearless.  As Kathleen Evans said at the memorial, she & Sue had to go to battle with the Town of Cary many times & Sue would rather ask for forgiveness than permission.  She bulldozed through lots of obstacles (improvements, permitting) that we encountered along the way & fought to get into the many locations we occupied.  She was determined & would keep going until she found someone who would provide a path forward.  

Many Heartwood families will recognize one of Heartwood’s most beloved teachers in these pictures, ‘Ms. Isabel’ Moncayo. Ms. Isabel says she was able to form a special relationship with Sue over the course of ten years at the school, “often sharing recipes, dishes, and of course, bread from La Farm.” She also remembers Mrs. Sue fondly for pouring in the additional help for kids who needed the support, regardless of the obstacles.

Editor’s Note:

We will miss greatly, Mrs. Sue, and the impact she had in the Cary community. Our family was fortunate to have both our boys attend Heartwood Montessori before going on to Cary Elementary. We will forever cherish the memories made, from Halloween Parades to birthday walks around the sun, burning the Yule log and watching our boys form tight bonds with the amazing teachers.

It’s been difficult to drive by the empty campus on a daily basis, knowing the void left by the school’s closing and Mrs. Sue’s passing. Before long, the toddler house and the playgrounds, the main building, and the garden that lived atop a filled in pool, will be gone…but the legacy will remain and the impact will reverberate for generations in the hearts of those who embraced its charm.