Zsuzsika/Nama's obituary
With great sorrow and bittersweet gratitude, the Harris, Douglas, Goetz, Hass, and Moore
families announce the passing of our kind, brave, caring and unimaginably generous wife,
mother, grandmother, sister and friend, Suzanne Maria Douglas Harris (... Zinner, Nowotny,
Smith). Born in Budapest in 1948, Suzanne (Zsuzsanna) was eight years old when she and her
mother escaped Hungary on foot in the dead of night, following a brief and, unfortunately,
unsuccessful revolution. Her heroic journey to freedom took her from Austria to Germany before
finally arriving in America, a dream come true forever immortalized on a postcard (see boat image).
Once in America, Suzanne’s second dream came true with the birth of her sister, Dr. Andrea
(Nowotny) Hass, to whom she lovingly dubbed the nickname, Kookie. Suzanne spent many
afternoons doing exactly as she was told, but also sneaking in as much play time with her baby
sister as much as possible.
Suzanne remained at home with Kookie while attending Temple University, where she met her
future husband, Eric. The two were married in 1969, enjoying many years filled with fencing
classes, motor biking, How to Host a Murder parties and welcoming their two children, Timothy
and Caroline. After 19 years of marriage, Eric was unable to overcome his substance abuse
disorder, but as their lives changed, Suzanne committed herself to maintaining a sense of
normalcy, protection and care for her children, spending many years prioritizing their needs well
above her own.
Even in the face of her own tragedy, Suzanne remained a steadfast friend and confidant to
everyone she knew. Over her nearly 40 years in Weston, CT, Suzanne became a well-known
fixture in town, highly involved in Norfield Church, the Girl Scouts, each of the 80 sports Tim
wanted to see if he’d enjoy, and - of course - everything WHS Company related. She even sat
through ten years of Beverly Hills 90210 episodes without complaining.
Following decades of kinship, Suzanne married her most dedicated friend, partner and
confidant, Donald H Harris, in 2002. The Harris & Harris detective agency/Blue Spruce Inn
proprietors created countless unforgettable happy memories for their newly expanded family,
including Don’s daughter and son-in-law, Whitney and William Goetz and their children Hannah
and Harry. As their blended family continued to grow, Don and Suzanne provided their children
and grandchildren with all of the love, comfort, hospitality, humor and stability a family could ask
for.
Zsuzsanna/Suz/Suzie/Zsuzsika/Mom/Nama/Schmoopie leaves behind six adoring grandchildren
- Hannah Goetz, Harry Goetz, James Moore, Enzo Douglas, Andrew Moore and Mikey Moore -,
three children - Whitney Harris Goetz, Timothy Andrew Douglas and Caroline Ilona Moore, three
children in-law - Will Goetz, Lori Ann Salmeri and David James Moore - an adoring sister, Dr
Andrea Hass and her loving family Brian, Brett and Brandon Hass and Hillary and Mitra
Veerammasuneni - countless friends, colleagues and acquaintances and the most life changing
partner, caretaker, confidant, father and friend we could have asked for her to have, her
husband Don.
In light of public health concerns, a Celebration of Life will be scheduled in Spring of 2023.
Should you feel so inclined, you are welcome to make a contribution to Regional Hospice
Danbury, whose incredible staff consistently went above and beyond to make sure her final
days and weeks were, in her words, “The most spoiled she has ever been her entire life”.
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Sorely missed, Robert…
S…