Suzanne Schmitt Goodling, 80

March 08, 2015

Born in Gettysburg on November 5, 1934, to the late Jay Richard Schmitt Sr. and the late Anna Catherine McDonnell Schmitt, Suzanne Schmitt Goodling passed away on March 8, 2015, after a courageous battle with cancer.

A native of Gettysburg, Suzanne graduated from Gettysburg High School. She received a B. A. from Gettysburg College with cum laude distinction and received her master’s degree from Middlebury College. She continued her studies at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, and at universities in Spain: Valencia, Madrid, and Valladolid.

Suzanne began her career in education at Hagerstown High School in Maryland. Later, as a Lititz resident, she also taught at Linden Hall. For thirty-five years until retirement in 1999, she was a respected member of the Modern Languages Department of Elizabethtown College. Among the many languages that she taught, Spanish was her love.

Suzanne enjoyed serving her community through her past association with AMBUCS and her membership in both the Lititz Historical Foundation and the Lititz Woman’s Club with volunteerism in several capacities. In addition, she offered her time weekly at the Heart of Lancaster in Lititz.
Perhaps Suzanne’s favorite activity was her involvement with musical groups. A member of St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lititz, she was a long-time and devoted member of her church choir. In years past, she sang with the Ephrata Cloister Chorus and traveled with that group to Europe to perform in concerts there.
A lover of life, Suzanne’s interests, besides music, included modeling, dance, aerobics, movies, theater, bridge, Elderhostel programs, dining out, and spending time with her many friends. Her friends, who knew her as Suzi, admired her for her intellect, talents, kindness, compassion, generosity, and sense of humor. This past November, many of those close friends came together at the Greenfield Restaurant to honor her in celebration of her 80th birthday. Friends and acquaintances alike found her to be an inspiration as she continued to live life to the fullest despite intermittent health setbacks.
Preceding Suzanne in death were her parents and her brother Jay Schmitt Jr. Surviving members of Suzanne’s family are her sister-in law Kathleen (Kay) Schmitt of Over View, Delaware; brother and sister-in law, Donald and Carolann Schmitt of Gettysburg; nephew Jay Schmitt III, also of Gettysburg; and niece Stacy Schmitt of London, U. K..

A memorial service and celebration-of-life reception will take place at St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, on May 30, 2015 at 11:00a.m.Guests will be received from 10:00a.m. until the time of the service. Interment will be, at the convenience of the family, at the Evergreen Cemetery in Gettysburg.

Because Suzanne wished to enhance handicapped accessibility at her church, memorial donations may be sent to St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, 200 West Orange Street, Lititz, PA 17543.