Susan Carlisle Burns

Susan Carlisle Burns, 83, passed peacefully on September 24 at home, with her beloved husband, Dennis, and devoted daughter, Brooke, by her side. She leaves behind a legacy of love, warmth, and commitment.

Born in Charleston, SC, on August 27, 1943, Susan was raised by her parents on Johns Island, where she enjoyed a quiet childhood surrounded by Lowcountry nature. Early on, she discovered the lifelong joy of learning about diverse people and cultures through extensive reading. Summers spent with her Courtenay relatives in Savannah and later at St. Christopher’s Camp on Seabrook Island fostered a yearning for intellectual discussions and a love of Carolina beaches.

Susan blossomed during her school years as St. John’s High’s newspaper editor, Homecoming Queen, and Most Likely to Succeed. But it was the thrill of journalism as a Teen Reporter for the Charleston Post that drove her to leave college for New York City’s world of publishing and media. A Greyhound ticket, $35 in her purse, a welcoming New York friend, and a contact led to an editorial assistant job at Harcourt Brace Textbooks and a place at the Salvation Army’s Evangeline Professional Women’s Residence in Manhattan.

She loved this new world of museums, different cuisines, courses at The New School, and Greenwich Village coffee houses. Most significantly, her participation in a college roommate’s wedding in the Hudson Valley led to a mutual love-at-first-sight meeting with her soon-to-be husband, Dennis Burns. After their marriage in historic Fishkill, they settled in Riverdale before deciding that Dennis would attend Yale Medical School. Then, in 1967, Susan and Dennis welcomed the joy of a beautiful daughter, Brooke Carlisle, who would shape their decisions for the next decades.

Turbulent New Haven was a blur for Susan, with her work as an editorial assistant at the Journal of Medical Care and Dennis’ lengthy studies and lab jobs. Seeking a more stable world, they returned to the New York area when Dennis took a job in Regulatory Affairs. Brooke had grown into an active, outgoing girl whose difficult first-grade teacher in Greenwich prompted Susan to become an active PTA officer, applying her communication skills to marshal the school’s parents. She also supported Brooke’s new skating passion and beautifully decorated their first home, becoming the best hostess in the neighborhood.

An opportunity at Johnson & Johnson in 1979 brought the family to the Princeton area, presenting new challenges for Susan as she managed the move and raised Brooke through her teenage years with steadiness, creativity, and patience. Susan’s embrace of diverse cultures helped her connect with Brooke’s prep school friends and Dennis’ international executive contacts in a variety of settings. When Brooke went to college, Susan applied her skills to managing a real estate office, an experience that would prove invaluable in the future. The years in New Jersey were also a time when Susan played a larger role in the Burns family, helping Dennis’ mom recover from two hip fractures and hosting three of the family Thanksgiving “Extravaganzas.”

The 1990s brought Susan and Dennis, now “empty nesters,” a chance to return to her South Carolina roots through the purchase of a Kiawah Island townhouse that Susan managed through rentals and hurricanes. Meanwhile, the growing biotechnology field gave Dennis, CEO and consulting opportunities in the Triangle region, leading to their final move to Raleigh’s North Ridge area, where Susan again used her talents to make their home comfortable for family and guests.

As the new century dawned, Susan quickly adopted the internet to explore the world, research Dennis’ biomedical projects, and help manage their financial and real estate assets. When Brooke had trouble voting in 2000, Susan identified defects in voting machines and joined a nonpartisan citizens’ group that lobbied the NC Legislature to pass laws establishing election standards still used today.

In 2016, Brooke left her education job in Florida and moved to Raleigh to start a coaching business. Susan was energized to help her find and furnish an ideal home. It was a time of creative collaboration as their daily mother-daughter bond was renewed through shared house projects, shopping adventures, restaurants, and entertainment.

As Susan’s brain changes progressed, our family faced the condition together. With the help of a marvelous caregiving team, we enjoyed her last three years at home with as much joy as possible. Reading, puzzles, time with our cat, Keka, music, and dancing sustained us as Susan displayed her charm, good humor, and tolerance, with few complaints until her quiet passing.

Our Caregiving Team: Thank you to our wonderful team: Carol Darrow, Irene Brooks/No Place Like Home, Springfield Pharmacy, Mary Beth Gerow, MN, RN, PMHNP-BC, St. Francis CareGivers Circle (Kathleen and Marla, facilitators), Paige Bulloch, Sandy and Chuck Wainman, and the many friends and family who supported us.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, October 23, 2026 at 2:00pm in the Chapel of Mitchell Funeral Home. Officiating will be Rev. Kristin Lassiter. The service will be livestreamed, to join, please use the 'Join Livestream' link in the services box below.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Positive Approach to Care, SafeHaven for Cats, or Common Cause for NC, by using the links below, under 'Donations'.

If you would like to leave a message of condolence, or share a fond memory for her family, you may do so below, within 'Add a Memory'.