Suzanne Jay Hoppes

Suzanne (Suzi) Jay Hoppes, beloved mother, daughter, sister, and friend, passed away on July 10, 2025, after a short but hard-fought battle with cancer.

A proud Haywood County native, Suzi spent most of her life in western North Carolina, where she found joy in the mountains, good friends, and football. She was known for her candor, humor, and fierce loyalty.

Suzi impacted countless lives through her work as a special educator. She held master’s degrees in Special Education and Educational Leadership and was honored as Buncombe County's EC Teacher of Excellence in 2023. She loved her students deeply and was passionately committed to helping them build independent, meaningful lives after graduation.

Just as fiercely, she championed her own daughter, proudly serving as an enthusiastic dance and cheer mom, always on the sidelines, cheering louder than anyone else.

She is survived by her daughter, Marin Elizabeth Hoppes of Canton, NC; her father, John Ivy Jay of Waynesville, NC; her siblings, Sam Jay of Asheville, NC, Betsy Jay of Carrboro, NC, and Amanda Jay of Washington, DC; and her stepfather, Dean Cowan of Clyde, NC. She is also mourned by her devoted friends, Heather Philips and Courtney McClure, along with many others whose lives she touched.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Marietta Campbell Cowan.

A visitation will be held at Wells Funeral Home in Canton, NC, on Saturday, August 2nd, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.

 In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Suzi Hoppes Memorial Fund through the Buncombe County Schools Foundation.

 Those unable to donate are invited to honor her memory by driving around the lake blasting ’90s country or yacht rock in your car.

The care of Suzanne Hoppes is entrusted to Wells Funeral Home in Canton, North Carolina.