Obituary: Susanne ‘Bunny’ Whalen, 78, Of Meriden

MERIDEN, CT — (From Wallingford Funeral Home): Susanne S. “Bunny” (Smith) Whalen, 78, of Meriden, wife of Thomas J. “Tom” Whalen passed away peacefully on Thursday November 30, 2023, with her loving husband by her side at Midstate Medical Center. She was a daughter of the late Herbert Knox and Margaret (Keane) Smith.

Susanne, also known as “Bunny” by her family and longtime friends, was born in Mineral Wells Texas, on December 6, 1944 and grew up in East, Granby, CT. She graduated from Mount St. Joseph Academy, then Bunny attended and graduated with her lifelong friends Karen, Bonnie and Noel from St Francis Hospital School of nursing in 1967. She then received her BSN from The University of Hartford in 1979.

On March 17, 1978 (St Patrick’s day) Bunny met Tom, “The Love of her Life” and they married on May 23, 1981; they were happily together for 42 years. They moved to Meriden in November 1984 and resided at their home for 39 years where they raised their cherished daughter.

Bunny was a member of the Irish American Club in Glastonbury, Our Lady Queen of Angels Church, Meriden and was an avid reader. She worked for Midstate Medical Center as a nurse for 35 years, where she met her coworker and long-time friend, Ginny. Bunny loved being a nurse and taking care of patients while meeting and making many dear friends over the years. Bunny was truly an angel sent from Heaven.

Bunny loved going to UConn Women’s Basketball games, Fenway Park, and the Hartford Whalers. She always looked forward to going on her yearly vacations to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. When all was said and done though; her most cherished time was spent with her daughter and grandchildren, they were her pride and joy.

Bunny will always be remembered for her compassion, empathy, and kindness for other people and she always advocated “we take the care of and watch over each other.” Her love for human life was immeasurable and she will be greatly missed.

Susanne leaves behind her husband, Tom; her daughter, Erin (Whalen) and her husband, Elias Rodriguez of Torrington; her granddaughter, Scarlett; and her grandson, Wyatt Rodriguez of Torrington; two brothers, Herbert K. Smith II and his wife, Darlene of Suffield and Robert Smith and his friend, Lucy Frazier of East Haven. Susanne was predeceased by a brother, William Smith.

Her family will receive relatives and friends in The Wallingford Funeral Home, 809 North Main St. Ext., on Tuesday, Dec. 12 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Susanne’s funeral services will follow with a funeral cortege to Our Lady Queen of Angels Church at Our Lady of Mount Carmel campus, 109 Goodwill Avenue, Meriden where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 12:30 p.m. Burial will follow in Mount Saint Benedict Cemetery, 1 Cottage Grove Road, Bloomfield.

If you wish, in lieu of flowers, you may make a donation in Bunny’s memory to American Cancer Society Leukemia https://donate.cancer.org/.

For more information and to leave online condolences, visit Wallingford Funeral Home here.