Mary Susan Resser

Mary Susan (Murphy) Resser, 83, of Bel Air, passed away on September 29, 2025. Born in Frostburg, MD, she was the daughter of Joseph and Anna Murphy and spent her childhood on Welsh Hill.

Mary Susan attended Catholic Girls Central and graduated from Frostburg State College, where she cultivated a lifelong love of learning and language. She began her professional journey as a French teacher at Beall Junior/Senior High School, inspiring students with her warmth, wit, and dedication.

She later devoted herself to raising her four daughters. When her children were grown, she returned to the classroom as a long-term substitute teacher in Allegany County.

Beyond her dedication to education and family, Mary Susan nurtured a lifelong passion for literature, history, and especially gardening. With a true green thumb, she cultivated a garden that became the envy of many. She was a member of the Bel Air Garden Club and led the Bel Air Junior Garden Club for several years, sharing the love of nature with younger generations. As well, she was a longtime member of Beta Sigma Phi sorority, where she made many lasting and treasured friendships.

Mary Susan's deep Catholic faith was a guiding light throughout her life. She was a member of Annunciation of Our Lord Catholic Church in Fort Ashby, where she found community and spiritual strength.

Proud of her Irish heritage, she immersed herself in genealogy and the history of her ancestral roots in County Wicklow and County Wexford. Her curiosity and reverence for the past led her on many adventures, including exploring overgrown cemeteries in search of family connections with her late cousin, Marge McCabe.

Mary Susan was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Joseph Murphy; and her beloved husband of 50 years, William Wolf Resser. She is survived by her daughters, Maryanne Herndon and husband, Jeff; Amy Resser Wollan and partner, Rob Robeson; Susan Manger and husband, Stephen; and Kathleen Storck and husband, Nathan. She is also survived by her sister, Margaret Ann Anderson and husband, Mel; son-in-law, Arne Wollan; brother-in-law, John Michael Resser; sister-in-law, Ellen Murphy; and many cherished grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and a nephew.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Tuesday, October 21, 2025 at 10:00 am at Annunciation of Our Lord Catholic Church in Fort Ashby. Family and friends will be received at the church one hour prior to Mass, beginning at 9:00 am.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the charity of your choice.