SUSSMAN, HARRIET ARNOLD

Dr. Harriet Arnold Sussman passed away peacefully in her sleep after a brief illness shortly before Christmas. She was 96 years old, lived a great and active life, and departed with her children and grandchildren close by.Harriet was predeceased by her husband Dr. Irvin Sussman, her parents Louis and Julia Arnovitz, and sisters Ethel and Adelaide. Remaining are her three children Carol, William (Debra), and Lynn (Larry); grandchildren Josh, Robert, Erin, Caitie, and Sarah.Harriet was born during a snowstorm in Milwaukee, WI. After high school, she entered a six-year program at the University of Wisconsin combining a science degree with an M.D. She met her husband, Irvin, when they were both residents at the Jersey City Medical Center. Married in 1948, they moved to Bridgeton NJ and began private practice, Irv in internal medicine and Harriet in pediatrics. Harriet took additional specialty training at Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia, and consulted there.Harriet was a pioneer and an advisor to Planned Parenthood, the Head Start Program, and volunteered at the local teenage clinic. She raised a son and two daughters while working full-time as a pediatrician.The family spent summers at their home in Stone Harbor, N.J. Harriet played tennis and Irv set records fishing for marlin. She was also a skilled and enthusiastic bridge player.After she retired in 1979, the Sussmans moved to Philadelphia, PA and began taking annual worldwide trips, including Europe, China, and the Antarctic. Irvin died in 1998. He was a gifted photographer, and the family has albums full of photos from many countries with a smiling Harriet in front of every museum they visited.She moved to Hilton Head, S.C. in 2015 to be close to her family and escape the northern winter. Feisty till the end, our mom left this world singing!The family will have a small service later. Donations may be sent to Hospice Care of the Lowcountry https://hospicecarelc.org/, 843-706-2296.