Suzanne Jane Burkholder

Suzanne Jane Burkholder

June 1, 1935 to March 12, 2022

Suzanne Jane Burkholder, 86 passed away peacefully at Lancaster General Hospital Saturday morning after an illness of several months.

She is the widow of Robert Eugene Burkholder who passed away in 2000. At that time, they were married 46 years.  She was the daughter of the late H Elwood and Mary Lucille (Cootes) Smith.

She retired from Sears after decades of service in various roles including Sears Catalog, the Auto Center and Sales.  She is fondly remembered as the Dyson lady.  People may remember her as the Crossing Guard at the entrance of Manheim Township School District in Neffsville. Her work life also included being a hostess at the Family Style Restaurant and a Tour Guide.  She always enjoyed working with people.

A lifelong member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Lancaster, she served on church council, usher captain and greeter.  She especially enjoyed fellowship with the Bible Study Group and Book Club.

She attended Lititz High School.

Always with a kind word and a smile, her motto was to live every day as if it were her last.  She had friendships with people of all generations. When her girls were growing up, she was a Brownie and Girl Scout leader. We gave up our living room annually during Girl Scout Cookie Season. Being quite the hostess, she loved to entertain.  She enjoyed her Girl’s Club and her beloved Pinochle Card Club.    Having a natural eye for design, she was an excellent painter and decorator. She loved QVC and had her favorite hosts. She loved her morning coffee and her end of day Pinot Grigio. She was an avid reader with her favorite books being those about historical figures. She always enjoyed going to Broadway with family, especially to see musicals.  Phantom of the Opera would always be her favorite. She loved her vacations with her husband and later, she enjoyed being included in her daughters’ vacations. Whether at the beaches in Ocean City or Hilton Head, cruising or being Queen for a meal at an old castle in Ireland.

Her pride and joy were her grandchildren.  While they were growing up, she had regular “gammy days” which were filled with her creativity, love and attention. She was grateful she got to meet two great grandchildren, Scott Patrick (SJ) and Finley Jane Kiernan.

She is survived by two daughters, Marilyn L., wife of H. Karl Soutner Jr. of Elizabethtown;  Mary Kathryn, widow of Gary Mulcahy of Landisville;  a brother Albert H. Smith of Ephrata;  a granddaughter Jessica (Long) Kiernan wife of Scott Kiernan, Mechanicsville, VA; three grandsons Justin Long of Denver, Colorado; Michael Mulcahy of Landisville, PA ; Brian Soutner, New York, New York and 2 great grandchildren.

A Funeral Service will be held on March 26, 2022 at 10 a.m. at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 540 West Walnut Street, Lancaster, PA with the Rev. H. James Tanner officiating.  Friends may call at the church from 9 a.m. until time of service. Interment will be private and held at the convenience of the family in Memory Gardens, Ephrata, PA. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 540 West Walnut Street, Lancaster, PA 17603.

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