Susan Barnes Whyte 1953 - 2025

Susan Barnes Whyte passed away August 14, 2025, following an arduous bone marrow transplant due to cancer.

Raised outside of Philadelphia, she attended Abington Friends’ School, Earlham College, and Emory University before moving to Oregon in the early 1980s. For nearly 30 years, she worked at the Linfield College Library, where she became not only a dedicated librarian and educator but also a mentor, confidante, and friend to countless students, colleagues, and aspiring librarians. She had a gift for recognizing those who felt adrift—welcoming them with patience, kindness, and encouragement.

Her life was enriched by a deep love of classical music, which was a constant source of comfort and inspiration. She also had a lifelong devotion to animals, especially cats and dogs, often taking in strays and giving them a home. Much like the animals she cared for, her students and friends found in her a refuge and a steady source of compassion.

Though not religious in practice, Susan was deeply rooted in Unitarian and Quaker values. She lived with simplicity, gentleness, and an abiding belief in “the good in every man,” a phrase she cherished from her Quaker upbringing.

She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by her husband, Irving Wiswall; her two children, Hallie and Jeremy Whyte; her two step-children, Morgan and Oona Wiswall; as well as by the many people whose lives she touched.