Susan Tifft was a gift to the world. She was one of the first students I taught at Duke in 1972. Sharp, deeply inquisitive and immediately engaged by the issues of civil rights and feminism that we discussed in my course, she became a lifelong friend. I read her books, shared her enthusiasm for good food and fine wine, and was blessed to be part of the celebration of her teaching career at Duke just a few years ago. With her amazing husband Alex Jones, Susan has created a beloved community that has shared her courage, her endurance and her grace during the course of her illness. She was a dear friend who taught us all that we can triumph over adversity by the love we offer to each other. Her body may no longer be with us, but her spirit, zest and passion remain.
Bill Chafe
Alice Mary Baldwin Professor of History
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