In Memoriam

August 13, 2026

It is with great sadness to report that Susan Hagiwara passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2026. She was a passionate special education educator who leaves an indelible mark in Hawaii‘iʻs education community.

Her positive influence in the lives of special needs children, their families and other teachers continues. We will always remember her caring spirit.

Her legacy continues through the HEA/HSTA-Retired Special Education Micro Grant, which was established in her honor in 2025. Her family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations support her scholarship. Send your tax-deductible donations to HEA, 1953 South Beretania Street, Suite 5C, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96826.

#MyAwesomeTeacher

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Share your story with us! Our teachers are a great source of encouragement, inspiration and positive life transformations. Many of us have had a teacher who has made a major impact on our lives or helped us to simply do better.

HEA wants to showcase testimonials about amazing teachers to highlight the importance of our local educators. These stories will be featured throughout our website, newsletter and social media in 2021 as part of HEA’s 100th anniversary celebration.

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