Susan Frances Mason Rounds

Susan Frances Mason Rounds, 79, of Columbia, SC, died peacefully on Monday, April 20, 2026, at Prisma Richland Health Hospital, with her husband and daughter by her side. Born on August 16, 1946, in New Haven, Connecticut, she was a daughter of Frank Mason and Claire Mason Doyle.

Susan graduated in 1964 from Burlington High School in Burlington, Massachusetts, and continued her education at the Chandler School for Women in Boston, Massachusetts, embarking on a path that would see her excel in various administrative roles with organizations such as American Express, Elder Beerman Department Store, and Liberty World Travel. Her professionalism and dedication left an indelible mark on her career and her colleagues.

Susan's life was woven with family, community, and faith. She was a dedicated member of Grace Presbyterian Church in Elgin, South Carolina, where she found immense joy in the fellowship and support of the staff and congregation, particularly during her illness. She was a member of the Eastern Star, Billerica Chapter #212, and the Rainbow Girls in Billerica, Massachusetts. Susan's vibrant spirit was perhaps most evident in her personal passions. She was an exceptional cook, renowned for her apple pies. A skilled Bunko player, she cherished the company of her Bunko groups in Columbia, South Carolina, and Scott Depot, West Virginia. Her love for her neighbors in the Lake Carolina Community was a testament to her generous and sociable nature.

She is survived by her husband of 55 years, Allen P. Rounds, Jr.; daughter, Nicole Massey of Columbia, South Carolina; and her son, Allen P. Rounds, III of Hudson, New Hampshire. Her legacy lives on through her grandchildren, Alexis Rousseau of Orlando, Florida, Bennett Massey and his girlfriend, Katie Allen, Brady Massey, and Maggie Massey, all of Columbia, South Carolina, for whom she played an integral and loving role in their lives. She is also survived by her sister, Linda Parker of North Andover, Massachusetts; her in-laws, Viginia Rounds Foster, Roger Lincoln Foster, Barbara Rounds Reinecker, and Edward Reinecker, as well as host of nieces and nephews. Susan was preceded in death by her parents.

A memorial service to celebrate Susan’s life will be held at 10:30 AM on Wednesday, May 13th, at Grace Presbyterian Church, 445 Spears Creek Church Rd, Elgin, South Carolina 29045. A reception for family and friends will immediately follow the service at the church.

The family will host a celebration of life at a future date in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Burial will take place in the Rounds family plot in Shawsheen Cemetery in Bedford, Massachusetts.

Memorials may be sent to the Grace Presbyterian Church, 445 Spears Creek Church Rd, Elgin, South Carolina, the Arthritis Foundation, 1355 Peachtree St NE, Suite 600, Atlanta, Georgia, or the First Congregational Church, 18 Andover Rd, Billerica Massachusetts 01821.

The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to the staff of Prisma Health Primary Care in Columbia, South Carolina, for their exceptional love and support of Susan. Their care and compassion were a source of comfort during her final years.

Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, is assisting the family.