Susanne Whyte

M. Susanne (Reisinger) Whyte (Burlington, VT)

Mary Susanne Reisinger Whyte, daughter of the late A. Leon and Mary Katherine (Goshert) Reisinger, was born on April 27,1937, in Hershey, PA, and died early on May 2, 2023, in Colchester, VT just a few short days after her 86th birthday.

Susanne was raised in Harrisburg, PA. For two years during WWII, the family lived in Florida when her father was stationed there, and she HATED it! After the war, they returned to Harrisburg where she attended the local schools, graduating from William Penn High School in 1955.

During the summer when she was 13, she traveled with her family to Idlewild, CA where her father was taking courses in Choral Music Directing and Photography as part of the GI Bill, camping along the way as they traveled across the country. That was the year that the movie “Annie Get Your Gun” came out, and she insisted on seeing it at EVERY theater in EVERY town they visited on the trip. In Jackson Hole, WY, she threw a temper tantrum because she refused to wash her hair, and her punishment was not being allowed to go see the movie. In this, as in other tests, she prevailed, and went to see it for the umpteenth time.

She received her BS in Speech Pathology in 1959 from Emerson College in Boston, MA. It is ironic that she attended a college known for its acting and theater program, yet she didn’t indulge her flair for drama by majoring in dramatic arts.

After college graduation, she returned to Harrisburg, and began speech pathology in the York County public schools, driving her Studebaker which she had nicknamed “The Green Gibbon.” As a member of the choir at Pine Street Presbyterian Church, she met her future husband, Bruce A. Whyte.

Susanne and Bruce were married on August 20, 1960. They began their family with a son, Andrew, followed by daughter, Elizabeth (Betsy). In 1964, Bruce’s job took them to Springfield, PA. While living there, they had another daughter, Carolyn, and finished their family with the birth of son David. (Children A, B, C, & D were plenty!)

In 1971, they returned to Harrisburg where Susanne was very active in several groups. She was on the board of the Junior Women’s Club, and her artistic skills were put to good use in helping design their annual yearbooks, which twice won awards for the best yearbook.

During those years, Susanne faithfully supported her children in their many sports and artistic endeavors. She drove them to their various sporting and music practices, attended football, soccer, and baseball games, as well as track meets. She sewed costumes for school musicals, attended concerts, and encouraged her children in their diverse activities. They have all inherited her artistic or dramatic flair to some degree.

In 1980, Bruce’s job saw them relocating to Windsor, CT. By this time, Andy and Betsy were in college, and although she didn’t want to leave Harrisburg, she was supportive of Bruce, Carolyn, and David’s activities in their new home.

After Bruce died in 1997, Susanne bucked the trend of retiring to the south, and instead moved to Burlington, VT. When she got there, she became involved with Lyric Theatre, which gave her ample ways to exercise her creativity by becoming a “Prop Tart.” She worked on many shows behind the scenes, and thoroughly enjoyed the process of turning bits of foam, wire, fabric, etc. into stunning creations. She made many friends in the Lyric Family.

She also was involved with the Heineburg (Community) Senior Center, where she participated on the board, created signs, and had many loopy post-Tag Sale money-counting sessions with her dear friend Gloria Reynolds.

Susanne had a friendly demeanor, which often caused her to be the person in the grocery store to whom people would gravitate for conversation. Although she usually didn’t know these people, she was polite and would chat for a few minutes before moving on to finish her shopping.

After moving into senior housing, Susanne became well known for her “famous” baked beans, which were always requested whenever there was a potluck. She also indulged her creativity by making Tag Sale signs and many beautiful apartment doorway decorations.

When diagnosed with terminal cancer, Susanne was philosophical. She had accepted the fact of her death many years ago, and wished to die peacefully, in hospice care, NOT surrounded by all her loved ones. Her survivors include her four children: Andrew Whyte of Bellefonte, PA, Betsy Whyte of Burlington, VT, who was her devoted caregiver during her last illness, Carolyn Whyte and her husband, William Stephenson, of Windsor, CT, and David Whyte, of Essex Junction, VT. She has two grandchildren, Alex Baranowski of Fort Collins, CO, and Emily Baranowski of Bristol, CT. She also leaves behind her brother Roy Reisinger and his wife Nancy, of Bend OR, and three nieces in Oregon.

Susanne felt very lucky in her life – first with her parents and family, then in her marriage and children. She had many good memories and lots of happiness. She wished the same for her children, and we are grateful for her abundant love throughout the years.

Her family would like to thank UVMMC Home Health and Hospice, especially her nurse, Haley Duquette, for their excellent care of their mother for the past 2 1/4 years, and the McClure Miller Respite House for their loving care in her final weeks.

There will be no services, but if you would like to honor our mother, please be kind to one another, and think of her when you are doing something creative.