Suzanne Mayhew Longfield, 89, died May 9th, 2018. Suzy, as she was lovingly referred to by family and friends, had battled Alzheimer’s for the last several years before succumbing to God’s wishes for her to join beloved husband, Bud.
She leaves behind a loving family of two boys, Deryl Scott and David Eugene; two daughters-in-law, Shannon and Christine; five grandchildren, Renee, Haley, Max, Avery and Milo and two great-grandchildren, Tosh and Piper.
Suzanne was born April 18, 1929 in Long Beach, California, although she lived in Nevada long enough that she most certainly considered herself a native. She went to grade school in California but moved to Caliente as a teen where she would proudly report graduating from Lincoln County High School. She was then sent to St. Mary’s of the Wasatch Catholic college in Utah, no less, by an overprotective father who believed her older sister had had too much fun at UNR. At St Mary’s she became lifelong friends with headmistress, Sister Virginia Marie and finished with a B.A. in education. Her first job after graduation was at Orvis Ring Elementary, coincidentally enough where future husband Bud had gone years before.
After graduation, Suzanne moved back to Caliente where one weekend evening her mother, “Ma” Mayhew encouraged her to go to a dance down at the local hall. It was here she met the man of her dreams and the love of her life for the next 56 years, Eugene “Bud” Longfield. They married on July 1, 1950 in Caliente and soon headed back to Reno permanently where she taught school and he enrolled in Civil Engineering at the University of Nevada at Reno.
Suzanne was as good as they come. She loved life and all that it held. She loved the many bridge groups she was a part of; loved the sisterhood of PEO (holding pretty much every office attainable over the years) providing counsel to the many young women she came into contact with. She loved the home she created for her family in South Reno where she tromped the fields in her rubber boots every Wednesday and Thursday during irrigation season trying (sometimes successfully) to keep the property green and vibrant.
No slouch in the kitchen, Suzanne provided each generation with scrumptious chocolate chip cookies, fabulous “Martha-Stewart-worthy” holiday meals and enough love and joy to keep smiles on faces even though she is now gone.
As anyone who knew Suzanne, she loved a party—whether she was hostess or a guest; she just loved being around her friends and family. We already miss her with all our hearts. But we do take solace in one thing she would say after we said that we loved her.
“Love you more,” she would reply.
Suzanne and Bud are together again, and a celebration of their lives will be held at a later date.
Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 1301 Cordova Ave., suite 180, Reno, Nevada 89502.