Susan (Higgins) Hawkins, 62, of West Hartford, died Saturday, April 30, 2016. Born in Hartford on November 6, 1953, Susan was the daughter of the late Bertram F. and Mildred (Groht) Higgins. Susan was an avid gardener and loved spending time in nature. She was a special education teacher for the deaf for over 20 years at the American School for the Deaf. Susan leaves behind her daughter Tara Williams and Tara's husband, Jeffrey, of Waterbury; her daughter Heather Garcia, Heather's husband, Carlos, and first granddaughter on-the-way, of Wethersfield; her brother, Keith Higgins, and his wife, Anne, of Bloomfield; and her niece, Lindsay Higgins, of Bloomfield. Susan also leaves behind her beloved partner, James Rinaldo, of West Hartford. Besides her parents, Susan was predeceased by her loving husband, Leon Hawkins. A graveside service will be held Friday, May 6, 2016, at 12:30 PM in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Section 19, 453 Fairfield Ave, Hartford, CT. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to the American School for the Deaf, Office of Institutional Advancement, 139 North Main St., West Hartford, CT 06107. To share a memory with the family, please visit www.dillonbaxter.com.