Suzanne Wise Rhoten

Suzanne Wise Rhoten, 69, passed away peacefully at her home in Lexington, SC on the evening of January 12, 2021 after a 15-year struggle with early-onset Alzheimer’s. Suzanne was born in Norfolk, VA on February 21, 1951. She is survived by her mother, Virginia Wise; her sister, Stephanie Hooker; and her niece, Snezhana Tzygankova. She was preceded in death by her husband, Boyd Rhoten; and her father, James Wise. Suzanne received a B.A. in Sociology from South Alabama University and devoted her early career to helping children facing mental illness. In 1979, Suzanne moved to South Carolina to be closer to her family and began a successful second career as a computer programmer. When not working, Suzanne loved spending time outdoors, gardening and caring for animals. She married her husband, Boyd, in 1985, and constructed an amazing herb garden at their home in Lexington. She enjoyed being a part of the Herb Bunch and created gifts for her family and friends using fresh herbs from her garden. Suzanne and Boyd loved traveling, skiing, riding motorcycles, and just spending time with their family. Together, Suzanne and Boyd faced life-altering illnesses in their early 50s. To the best of their abilities, they supported each other through strokes, kidney disease, and Alzheimer’s. The changes in their lives were substantial, but they worked as hard as they could for as long as they could to keep illness from defining them. And because they had given so much love to so many, the past two decades provided an amazing opportunity for their family and friends to shower them with love and care in return. Caring for Suzanne throughout her illness definitely took a village, and her family is grateful to the many people who made it possible for her to remain safe and happy in her home for so long. Special thanks go to the entire Rhoten (and Blackwell) family for their help with almost every aspect of Suzanne’s daily needs. The family is also grateful to the many caregivers who stayed with Suzanne throughout her illness, especially Doris Horsley, who spent more than 8 years with Suzanne and Boyd. In the past year, Doris rarely left Suzanne’s side even for a night. Her mom and sister will forever cherish Suzanne and fondly remember Sunday afternoon lunches. A private celebration of Suzanne’s life will be held in the spring at the Outer Banks. Those wishing to share memories of Suzanne may contact her family through Congaree Baptist Church at [email protected] or (803) 755-9556.